Something Missing
by Mechina
Summary: "... Maybe something's missing darling, maybe my hearts been hard too long." - He lost his muse and held no hope that his third book would ever be written. It seems fate had more to say about that. - Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is Rated M for language and future sexual themes. Please let me know if you'd like for it to continue by reviewing or following the story. Thanks in advance.

* * *

The rain lightly pattered against the windows of his apartment, giving him a clear sign of what was going on outside. He pursed his lips into a fine line and turned away, turning his attention back towards his laptop which remained on his lap. A word document was open and blank, his mind whirling with ideas that wished to come out in the open, but his attempts were futile to say the least.

The deadline for his new novel was several months away, but he felt nervous regardless. How come he had no inspiration? A soft sigh released from his lips before he finally shut his laptop and moved away towards the kitchen which was next to his living room.

Grabbing a pot, he filled it with water and placed it on the stove when he turned it on so it could boil. He took a mug from his cabinet and nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone went off. Taking it out of his pocket, he looked at the screen which lit up with Temari's name. He wondered if she was checking on him because he hadn't contacted her for days, which was highly unusual for the red head.

Opening the message, his eyes widened slightly when it read "Call me ASAP". Now that he was on his phone, he noticed that he had ten missing calls from her alone. Worry settled in his gut. Was Kankuro injured? Hurt? In the hospital? What about Shikamaru or Shikadai?

Not wasting another beat, he dialed her number and impatiently waited for her to answer. It seemed like forever when he heard her 'hello', but he barely had time to respond. _"Father is in the hospital."_

Gaara was silent for a moment, contemplating whether to tell her that he did not care if their father was in the hospital. Considering how he was treated when he was younger, Gaara absolutely had nothing to do with that man. He hated him. Hell, hate seemed to be a weak word to compare how he felt. "Is that all?"

He could tell she was annoyed, _"He wants to see us. It… isn't looking good."_

Now it was his turn to grow annoyed. Why the hell should he care what that bastard wanted? "Temari you know how I feel—"

" _He has important news."_ Temari interjected, knowing he probably wouldn't go no matter what excuse she came up with.

"That man could get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, but I still would not care for what he has to say. I am appalled you would call me for something like this."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Temari finally relented. _"I suppose there is no point in trying to convince you. He's in Konoha hospital and we're going tonight at six… if you change your mind."_

Then she hung up. Gaara rolled his eyes and finished boiling the water before making his tea. With a clear head, he went back to his laptop but paused his movements. What if his father really had something important to say?

Glancing towards the clock, he noticed that it was only four in the afternoon. It would take at least thirty minutes to arrive at the hospital. Eventually he finished his tea and placed it in the sink before grabbing his keys so he could drive to the hospital.

Once he arrived, he parked and took notice that his siblings, along with Shikadai, were standing outside near the entrance. When he approached them, they looked at him with surprised expressions. He was doing this for them, not his father, and they could see that in his eyes. His face was emotionless, but it was his jade green hues that caused his downfall.

Without saying a word, they headed inside and went to the room the nurse told them that held their father inside. When Gaara walked in, he didn't turn to look at his father right away. Though when he did, he realized Temari was right. It didn't look good.

Shikadai approached him and held his hand as the siblings gathered around him so he could share his 'important' news. "You can tell I am not going to last."

They were silent, allowing him the chance to continue, "Which brings me to a certain announcement… as you all know I gave away my company to Akatsuki Enterprises, though it was not for free. With heritance long overdue, I give you the money. I have already written this in my will. It will be divided three ways."

Gaara didn't need his charity. He glared at his father as if he were the Devil himself. This announcement was _not_ important. All three of them were well off, they didn't need his handouts. Before Gaara could say this, Temari already spoke: "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes."

Gaara started for the door, hoping to get out of there as fast as he could, "This was a waste of time."

His father coughed, "Gaara... _tanuki_." He used the nickname his mother had given him as a child because of the circlets around his eyes. It was common in their family, though it also didn't help that he rarely slept. "I know I wasn't the best father…"

The red head turned to look at him angrily, "You wish to use the nickname of the same woman that you despised, thinking that it will help your case? I have no need for your money father."

With that said, he rushed out of the hospital room and down the hall before his siblings could catch up to him. He knew Temari wouldn't make Shikadai leave his grandfather, which only left Kankuro. His big brother was an idiot sometimes, but he knew when to let Gaara be on his own.

Since he was distracted, he had not noticed the person heading in his direction with a pile of papers covering her face so she could not see him either. When they collided, each person ended up on the floor while the papers flew in every direction.

Shaking himself out of his dazed moment, he looked towards the person he ran into. Surprised settled in on his features when he noticed the girl in front of him. She was rubbing the back of her head and sighing softly, though he simply took this chance to glance at her ID which was in her breast pocket.

The only thing he could see was 'Nurse Haruno' before anything else, since most of it was covered. He stood up and held his hand out for her to take, which caused her to blink a bit at him in surprise. She glanced at him briefly before grabbing his hand so he could pull her up, though he nearly yanked her off the ground with how light she was.

He released her and started picking up the papers that were thrown in nearly every direction. A soft smile approached her lips, "Thanks… um…"

His jade green hues met her own for a moment, "Gaara."

For some reason she seemed a little… startled? A light blush appeared over her cheeks as she began to pick up the papers he wasn't touching, though there was a lot on the ground. Once they were done, he placed the rest of what he held into her hands. "Thank you Gaara. I'm Nurse Haruno, though everyone mostly calls me Sakura."

Gaara's attention flicked towards her hair briefly. There was no surprise with the reason her name was 'Sakura'. While her eyes were an emerald shade, her hair was pink. He figured it was a nice fit. "You're welcome… if you'll excuse me…" He tried to move past her, but she didn't budge.

"I… hate to bother you some more, but do you mind helping me? A lot of other nurses are busy and as you can see, I don't know where I'm going with them covering my face."

Sakura swallowed slightly when she became painfully aware of the intense frown that was on his expression when she asked him to help her. Before she could tell him never mind, he had already taken half of the papers from her hands and beckoned for her to show him where to go. It caused her to smile again, though she didn't wish to delay him any further, so she hurried off.

She had just been hired in this hospital and the head Doctor took her on as her apprentice. She wished to be a doctor someday, so it was a good thing to know Tsunade saw potential in her. "Sorry for making this an inconvenience."

Gaara didn't respond, but that didn't cause her nerves to increase. She figured he was the silent type. Sighing softly, she quickened her pace a bit and they eventually made it to the room she needed to be in. Sakura placed the papers onto her desk and watched as the red head did the same. "Thanks again, I really appreciate it. I'm new to this job and—"

She trailed off and nearly giggled at her own stupidity. This man didn't care for her affairs. "Sorry I'm told I talk too much." His lips twitched, which gave her a sign that he was amused. Especially with the way his eyes lit up. It was only for a second, but she could see it.

"Anyway, that's all I needed. I don't want to keep you any longer, so your debt is paid."

Sakura suddenly felt naked with the way his eyes were piercing into her. It was like he was gazing into her soul. "… No thanks are needed." That was all he said before he left her office.

Gaara was glad to get away from her so he wouldn't be asked to help her with anything else. Once he made it outside, he got into his car and sat there for a moment to relax. Seeing his father caused his anxiety to peak, and his hands were shaking. Closing his eyes, he inhaled a deep breath and nearly had a heart attack when a knock came to his car window.

When he rolled it down, he realized it was the same pink haired nurse; holding a hood over her head because it was still raining. "Sorry! I didn't mean to follow you, but this fell out of your pocket. I called for you, though it seems you didn't hear me."

The red head grabbed his pendant, which was something his mother had given him, and looked at her with a strange expression. It appeared he was confused. She ran after him just to return something? Most people would keep it for themselves. Considering the pendant was silver and very valuable, no one would even think to return it.

"… Thank you."

She gave him another soft smile, "You're welcome. Please drive safely, I'm sure you're sick of seeing my face already and I don't want you to wreck so you'd have to see it again." She giggled, "Goodbye Gaara."

Then she ran off, hoping to return to the building without getting soaked even more. He rolled his window up again and thumbed the pendant through his fingers, his jade hues piercing as he gazed at the design of it. Considering Karura gave him the nickname 'tanuki', she had also given him this… a raccoon pendant. He carried it with him everywhere. Just for luck.

Shaking his head, he turned on his car and began to back out of the parking spot he claimed. As he drove down the road, his thoughts trailed back towards his book which was still whirling around in his mind. For some reason, he felt the need to write everything down. It was strange. Earlier that morning, he couldn't produce words without deleting them immediately. Now it seemed like all the thoughts he wanted to write down were at the edge of his mind; begging to be let out.

Gaara didn't speed home even though he truly wanted to. Excitement built up in him again. Writing was his passion, and considering he hadn't done it for a long time, he was glad he could finally imagine what he wanted to say this whole time.

Pulling into his driveway, he turned off the car and rushed inside, not wishing to be away from his computer a moment longer. Making sure his door was locked, he went into the living room where he last left his laptop, and went to work.

* * *

A few nights later and Gaara already has two new chapters written. It's a continuation of his second novel, so the characters were the same. It was just hard to place what he wanted on a document, but for some reason, he's had his muse since he left the hospital… though it has disappeared momentarily.

His father didn't try to contact him again, though it didn't matter regardless since he passed away the night they visited him. Temari rode to his apartment to tell him the news, but the only one he was truly worried about was Shikadai. Despite how Rasa treated his children, he loved his grandchild immensely. Gaara would give him that much.

His nephew was only four years old, but he was smarter than a lot of kids in his class. Considering who his father was, no one was really surprised with his high IQ. Temari told him that Shikadai was taking the news well and even though he had cried some, he isn't showing signs of depression or sadness.

That made Gaara feel relieved. He didn't want his nephew to be depressed because he lost someone important to him. Gaara knew that pain.

Shaking his head, he leaned against the wall that was placed next to his glass doors; which overlooked the city lights. It was bright and quiet as it usually was, which caused him to relax. After sipping his drink for a moment, he sighed.

He wasn't sure what happened, but now he was struggling with the next chapter after the second one. It caused him to grow frustrated even more.

Looking at his coffee table, he took notice of the pendant laying in the middle of the glass; causing him to think about that pink haired nurse he saw the other night when visiting his father in the hospital. She seemed… familiar, but he wasn't sure why. Wouldn't he remember women with pink hair if he ever knew them in his lifetime?

Gaara frowned and shook his head lightly. There was no reason for him to think about her. That was the one and only time he'd probably ever see her. He doesn't go to hospitals and he's never seen her outside of that regardless, so why should he worry about her?

His attention turned towards his cellphone which graciously rang next to his pendant. He looked at the caller ID and frowned when he realized who it was. He picked it up and clicked the green button to answer it, "What do you want?"

"… _You sound hostile."_

"Naruto, if this isn't important—"

Naruto let out a soft chuckle on the other end, _"Come on Gaara. You can't treat your best friend like a doormat!"_ When Gaara didn't answer, he continued; _"It's almost my birthday, have you forgotten?"_

"I have not forgotten. As you recall, I have been busy with the third installment of my book."

" _How's that going by the way?"_

"Not well if I am being honest. A couple days ago I found my muse but now it's gone again."

"… _Wow, that's weird. Maybe if you come out, it'll help you! Come on man… I'll be twenty-five, I want to celebrate."_

The red head sighed and leaned back against the wall again, "We will see. I do not want to get drunk with you and everyone else since every time we do, I come home shitfaced."

Naruto snickered. _"Don't do shots with us then, you know tequila fucks you up."_

"… I'll think about it Naruto. As for now, it's a no." After hearing Naruto complain for ten more minutes, he hung up the phone and was glad he didn't have to deal with him at that moment. He placed his phone back onto the coffee table and turned on the tv, crossing his arms over his chest as he listened to the sudden news story that popped up.

He blinked lightly when faces flashed across the screen, showing him who had been involved with a shooting, while paramedics worked at the scene. A flash of pink caught his attention as the same nurse who he saw a few nights ago appeared in sight, frantically trying to get the little girl on the gurney into the hospital when they arrived.

A journalist followed her around, "Nurse! Nurse! Do you have a few minutes to answer some questions?" Gaara wanted to slap that woman in the face. She was obviously busy with trying to work on the little girl who was severely wounded.

When she didn't answer, the journalist rudely intercepted her before she even had a chance to move. Her face showed her emotions. She wasn't angry, no… there was absolute _**rage**_ behind those emerald eyes that Gaara could see. It seemed very different when compared to how she was when they met.

"If you don't get that camera out of my face, I will break it." Her voice was harsh and she smacked the camera away while she escaped so she could work on the patients. He felt a sense of pride when she did that. The journalist didn't take the hint but when the feed cut suddenly, Gaara knew why.

A light smirk appeared on his lips. Turning the tv off again, he moved towards his laptop which held his document open and waiting for him to work on it some more. Tapping his finger lightly against the cushions, he found ideas swirling again which begged to be typed.

Opening the laptop, he took another sip of his drink, and started to write down everything that he thought of again; which flowed together easily. It seems his muse returned to him, though it was only for a moment.


	2. Chapter 2

A loud noise rang out from her left, causing her eyes to snap open and slam her hand down onto the clock before it could continue. With a soft sigh, she placed her feet onto the carpeted floor next to her bed, and rubbed her eyes sleepily. A light meow came from her side and she glanced towards her black kitten which stretched while rubbing against her.

She smiled and ran her hand over her fur, "Good morning!" Sakura said, which caused the kitten to blink at her slowly, another meow coming from her briefly. She giggled and snuggled her one more time before she headed into the bathroom so she could shower. She took notice that it was still raining outside, which caused her to sigh again.

There wasn't anything wrong with the rain, but she wished that it wouldn't do it on her day off. This has been her first day off in weeks, so she wanted to enjoy it. Of course, the weather had other plans… obviously.

Shaking her head, she took her shower and got dressed, grabbing an umbrella from the rack beside her door. She rubbed her kittens head again, "I'll be back soon. Ino wants to see me for a little bit." She wasn't sure why; her bachelorette party was coming up that weekend. Hopefully Sakura would have the night off.

Locking the door behind her, she opened her umbrella and made the trek towards the coffee shop they met at occasionally. She was happy that it was close by, since she didn't have to waste any gas to get there. Stopping short, she looked through one of the glass windows which showed the latest fashion most women would wear… if they could afford it anyway.

"It would suite you." A voice called out to her right, causing her to look in that direction. She was startled, the man was quite handsome… but to speak to _her_ of all people? Sakura looked around to make sure he wasn't speaking to anyone else.

He laughed softly, "I am talking to you. Do you see anyone else here?"

She felt a blush approach her cheeks but she tried to shake it off. "T-that's kind of you, though I should get going… I have to meet my friend…"

He gave her a small smile, "Well that's fine then. Here... I wanted to give you my number if you ever wanted to contact me. I'm Morio." He handed her his card and walked off before she could give him her name in return. Blinking lightly, she shook her head and started for the coffee shop again.

Sakura shut her umbrella and shook off the rain before she headed inside, waving to Ino when she glanced at the door again; possibly checking to see if she finally arrived. "Sakura!" She called, getting up to meet her halfway and giving her a hug.

She pulled away, "You just saw me the other day Ino, you act like we've been separated for decades."

Ino giggled and sat down, pushing the cup towards her, "I ordered your favorite."

Sakura took the cup and sipped at her drink with a smile. This is the reason why she loved her best friend. She knew everything about her, including likes and dislikes. "What took you so long?"

"I was looking at the latest fashion in the nearby stores… and this guy approached me."

The blond leaned on one of her hands, "Do tell!"

Leave it to Ino to be the gossip queen she always has been. Sakura didn't care much to tell her about things that went on in her life, but these were the reasons they enjoyed one another's company. Sakura loved to hear about what Ino had going on just as Ino loved to hear what Sakura had going on. It was a great friendship.

She looked at her cup, "His name was Morio. He approached me while I was looking at the clothes and said they would suite me. I'm not sure why, but he gave me his card in case I wanted to call him."

Ino leaned forward, as if expecting more. "And? Are you going to call him?"

"Probably not. He didn't really seem to be my type. I'm surprised he approached me in the first place…"

Shaking her head, Ino sat back and drank her coffee; "You'll be alone for the rest of your life if you don't start dating Sakura."

Sakura glared at her, "I have dated before you know! Just because I want to focus on my career, doesn't mean I'll die alone."

But she had a point and Sakura knew it. She had only dated two boys while she was in college, and the second relationship had ended badly. So, she focused on her career ever since and that made her life a little better than it had been before. Now that she was twenty-four, her mother asked if she planned on ever having kids. It annoyed her. Couldn't a woman be single and independent without earning so many questions?

Ino sighed softly, "I worry for you okay? I'm getting married soon and our lives will go very differently afterwards. I just… don't want my best friend by herself."

Reaching forward, Sakura grabbed her hand; "I'm fine. Most of us don't need men to keep us happy."

Luckily Ino hadn't taken that as an insult and the rest of their meeting went smoothly… for the most part. Once they parted ways, Sakura found herself in her home again; looking down at the card which read Morio's name and number on it. _Should_ she try and give him a chance? She wasn't sure why, but she didn't really want to. It wasn't because he wasn't attractive, she just… wanted something different.

Was she being superficial? She hugged her knees to her chest and gazed down at the floor. She hasn't dated anyone since college, so she felt like she would do horrible in a relationship anyway. She had her career to focus on instead. Placing the card on the nightstand next to her couch, she shook her head. No, she'll date when she has the time.

Grabbing her remote, she turned on the tv and grabbed the book from her nightstand so she could read. Although the tv was on, she was just using it for background noise. Her kitten laid on the other couch, sleeping peacefully which caused the pinkette to smile briefly before returning to her book.

Her thoughts trailed back to the red head she met at the hospital and paused her reading for a moment. She wondered why he was popping into her mind all of a sudden. Looking at her book, she ran her fingers over the cover and stared at the initials which were imprinted at the bottom: _G.S_. 'I wonder who wrote this.' She thought, 'And why did they keep their name hidden?'

Deciding it didn't matter, she went back to reading the chapter she paused on before she had to go to work the night before. Perhaps it didn't matter why the author kept themselves a secret. Sometimes people didn't want to be revealed, and she understood that wholeheartedly.

* * *

The next morning came by too quickly and Sakura had prepared herself to go to work. When she got there, she already had tons of paperwork to go through. She growled lightly in annoyance, but she figured if she got most of it done by the afternoon, she could go home on time.

Staring down at the paperwork, she nearly smacked into the wall, but someone had caught her before she did so. Shaking her head, she glanced towards the person who saved her. "Oh! Thank you for stopping me from hitting the wall… Dr. Hatake."

The eye that was revealed crinkled, showing that he smiled underneath the mask he always wore. "You're welcome Sakura, but I would suggest paying attention to where you walk."

"Didn't you see the wall? It moved into my path." Sakura said sarcastically, before giggling and shaking her head, "I'll be more careful."

She started to walk off until he called after her again, "Your patient from the other night is awake."

Sakura paused her movements and gave him a look which meant that he shouldn't pull her leg just in case it was a joke. The expression on his face was serious, making her rush towards the room she had left the little girl in when she worked all night to save her life.

When she reached the door, she noticed the little girl giving her a small smile; her parents already by her bedside. Sakura tried to hold back her emotions when she went inside. "Tami…" She breathed in relief. She knew she had been stable, but to see her awake? It was a miracle within itself.

"Nurse Haruno… we just wanted to thank you for saving her life." Her parents walked towards her and lightly bowed to her, showing her the exact reason as to why she loved her job. Feeling tears approach her eyes, she shook them away slightly and gave them a bright smile.

"You don't have to thank me at all. Here's to a speedy recovery so you can go home." Sakura patted the little girl on her head and left the room, rushing back to her office. When she arrived, she rubbed her eyes, and choked on the tears that spilled over her cheeks. These were the moments she cherished. Saving people she didn't know.

Once she finished crying, she went to work on the papers Tsunade had assigned her. She was distracted by what she read and paid no mind to the time as it went along, but eventually she had to take her breaks. Glancing at the clock for a moment, she realized it was nearly time for her to go home. How had the day gone by so quickly? She had finished quite a bit of paperwork, which meant the rest could wait until she went back to work the next day.

Clocking out, Sakura started for the door until someone approached her with roses. She blinked in confusion until the nurse explained the situation. Looking at the card, she realized it was Morio's handwriting. Now she was a little weirded out. How did he know where she worked? Was he following her or something?

She quickly threw them away and rushed to her car, getting inside so she could get home in good time. Ino would more than likely be waiting on her to call her because she usually did that when she got home to make sure someone kept up with her. Her parents knew her schedule, but it wasn't like what Ino did. Ino wanted to make sure the pinkette got home safely and didn't run into trouble. When she got into her house, she called the blond like usual but was surprised when she didn't answer. Shrugging a bit, she decided she was too tired to shower.

Changing her clothes into something a little more suitable for bed, she climbed underneath her covers and shut off the light. Feeling her kitten get into the bed with her, she rubbed her for a moment before finally passing out. Hopefully she wouldn't work that weekend because she wanted to be with Ino for her bachelorette party.

Those thoughts in her mind caused her to have crazy dreams. When she woke up, she repeated the day as she usually did; which meant she didn't have a lot of free time. Perhaps she _should_ try calling that guy just to get a break. But something stopped her from doing so. She wasn't sure what it was, and it bothered her to no end. Perhaps she'll figure it out later.

* * *

A/N: Morio is the man who wrote Sakura a love letter in the war and Tami is the little girl Sakura healed in the manga. These two are not OC's, I just wanted to be sure everyone knew that. Please review and tell me what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'll be honest I hope my choices of couples do not turn anyone away, but if it does, then I understand. I don't like SaiIno, and I can guarantee you will be surprised who her fiancé is. This fanfic won't follow the normal couples.

* * *

Gaara stared at the document with frustration. It was futile to continue writing because it seemed like his muse disappeared and then returned in waves. He was on the seventh chapter now, but he could only backspace everything he typed. Shaking his head, he slammed his laptop shut and stood up after placing it on the coffee table.

In obvious anger, he stalked out of his apartment and to his car, after packing up his laptop to bring it with him. Perhaps a drive could calm his nerves? He wasn't sure what could help him at this point… he was starting to feel a little lost. Starting the car, he left his assigned parking space and headed down the street. It was already growing dark outside, which meant the air was a little chillier than it had been beforehand.

He didn't like the fall… or the winter for that matter. Summer was when he really enjoyed his breaks. Considering it was October, he nearly froze all the time. He missed his old hometown, where it was warm 24/7. He guessed he would have to stop thinking of the past and get used to this weather before he lost his mind.

Although he has lived here for years, he still didn't like it. Maybe he would move back to his hometown someday, but for now, this would have to do.

Disbanding his thoughts, he pulled into the parking lot of his favorite coffee shop which seemed a little empty despite the time. It wasn't that late, but he supposed no one wanted to be out once they got off work. Getting out of his car, he locked it, and headed for the entrance. Once inside, he thanked Kami that they had the heat on, and approached the counter to place an order.

Crossing his arms as he waited after he paid, he started looking around the shop. There weren't many people in there, but his attention stopped on one person who sat alone reading a book. The same pink haired girl he had met at the hospital. He wasn't sure why he always thought of her hair when he noticed her, but it was the first thing he thought of.

Grabbing the coffee when the cashier handed it to him, he barely paid him any mind as he walked towards a table a few feet away from her. He looked away once she glanced in his direction. He stole a look at the book in her hands and it caused him to realize she had been reading his second novel of the series he started a few years ago.

Although he had only placed his initials, he felt painfully aware that she could figure out who truly wrote those books. They were quite famous, a lot of people wanted them. Luckily his agent didn't make him place his name on them. There would eventually be a movie made, but they had to wait until he finished the story. There were too many questions that needed to be answered.

So lost in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed that Sakura already moved. She was heading towards him despite the voice in her head telling her it was a bad idea. There was something about him that intrigued her. Perhaps it was his eyes or something else… she wasn't entirely sure about it. When she stood next to him, she felt nervous, but she tapped his shoulder with confidence.

Gaara glanced at her, a surprised look in his expression. Why had she approached him? Did she figure out he was the author already?

"It's… Gaara right? We met in the hospital the other night."

He wanted to smack his forehead. Why had he jumped to conclusions? She was probably just looking for someone to talk to. There weren't many people in the coffee shop other than them two, so she must have been lonely… though he wasn't entirely sure. "Yes… and you're Sakura, the nurse who made sure a journalist could not gain a story from a shooting."

A smile appeared on her lips because she wasn't offended, showing him that she was more amused than anything. "You saw that? Well I had every reason to do it. She was getting in the way and instead of being reprimanded by my boss, I was applauded. We saved the little girl's life."

Gaara wasn't surprised by that. At least that little girl could go home whenever she felt better. In fact, he was a little proud of her… if that made any sense. "That is a good thing."

"Yes, it was..." She trailed off a bit, "So… is this seat taken?"

He looked towards the seat she held her hand on, and felt himself shaking his head before he could even comprehend what he was doing. When she sat down, he looked away and toward his laptop bag which hung lazily around his shoulder. He had nearly forgotten he brought that in the shop with him.

There was a comfortable silence between them, as she had just started reading her book again; possibly trying her best not to disturb him even more than she had been. Unhooking his bag, he grabbed his laptop and pulled it out; opening it so he could try to write like he had wanted beforehand.

A part of him didn't understand why he stopped at this shop, but he felt like this was a good place as any to clear his head. A drive would have done him some good, however, this was also a great choice. He was relaxing with coffee and a beautiful girl sitting next to him. Gaara paused his movements for a moment. His own thoughts surprised him, but he shook his head before he started to type away at his laptop once again.

He was angled in a way that Sakura couldn't see over his shoulder, but it seems she wasn't paying attention to what he was doing regardless. Perhaps she had noticed that he wanted privacy. He wondered why she joined him… then again, he guessed it didn't really matter. Her company was comforting, even though they had barely spoke to one another.

The only sounds he could hear was the typing he did on his computer while Sakura occasionally flipped through the pages of her book. He glanced at her periodically, though he had caught her eyes once. It threw him off guard, but he could shake it off easily before she took notice. Before he knew it, an hour had passed and most of the people who had been in the coffee shop with them, had left.

Glancing outside, he realized the moon had risen as the sun went down. It was dark and peaceful, but soon enough the coffee shop would close… in about thirty minutes. Sakura shut her book and stood up, causing him to glance towards her briefly. "I have to go, thanks for letting me sit with you. Although we didn't speak much, your presence was comforting."

She didn't give him a chance to respond before she left his side, causing him to glance back towards the document which was still open on his screen. Surprisingly he had written another chapter without even realizing it. Surprise settled in on his features as he started putting everything up, and headed towards his car once he was finished.

Turning his car on, he closed his eyes for a moment and felt a sigh escape his lips. A part of him wondered if he was going insane. Oh well, there was no reason to dwell on those thoughts any longer. Gaara backed out of the parking spot and headed home, his mind whirling around with his ideas, along with the pink haired nurse he had just left.

There was something about her emerald hues that made him curious. Perhaps he was reading too much into things. Or maybe he realized her eyes held the same loneliness his did when he gazed into the mirror for too long.

When he reached his apartment building, he locked his car once again, and headed back inside. Glancing at his watch, he realized he would need to rest soon otherwise he would be exhausted in the morning since he had to be up earlier than usual. His agent had a few things to discuss with him.

Once he made it to his apartment, he was sure to secure his door before he headed into his bedroom. He laid his laptop on the table, his ideas long forgotten as he prepared himself for bed, making sure he would be ready for his meeting with his agent. He wasn't looking forward to it.

* * *

"… And we'll drink ourselves blind." Ino stated excitedly before she glanced at her maid of honor who did _not_ seem enthused. She frowned, "Are you paying attention Sakura?" When she didn't answer, Ino snapped her fingers in front of her face, "Forehead girl, _where_ are you at?"

Sakura blinked a little in surprise, shaking her head as she turned to meet Ino's icy blue eyes who glared into her soul. "Sorry Ino…" She said with a nervous smile. Ino hadn't used that nickname in a long time, which meant she had grown annoyed with the pinkette for not paying attention to her. "I was distracted by something."

Ino snorted in a disbelief, "By what?"

She wanted to correct the blond by saying it wasn't about a 'what', it was more about a 'who'. She had seen that red head again in the coffee shop the other day, and it's been plaguing her mind ever since. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to talk to him. They had barely spoken more than just a few words to each other, and yet… she wanted to invade his mind. See what he thought about.

"And you're distracted again. You keep doing this, I'll change Tenten into my maid of honor!"

The pinkette rolled her eyes, "You could, but she wouldn't accept it… I just hope you know that." They glared at one another before bursting out into a fit of laughter. "It's nothing, I'm just distracted about work." It was a lie, and a pathetic one at that. She knew Ino could see right through her, but thankfully the blond didn't bother.

Ino shrugged indifferently and started speaking about the bachelorette party once again which would happen that Saturday night. Sakura hoped she was off, but a little part of her had hoped she was working too. Though with a little disappointment, Tsunade granted her the night off so she could go out and have some fun. Tsunade worried about her a little too much.

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and listened to the blond run her mouth about things that she honestly did not give a damn about. She was happy for her best friend, but sometimes she wished she would speak of other things instead. Like when she plans on having a kid or the next dog she would adopt. Why was it always about weddings and nonsense?

Sakura figured she may have been jealous about the fact that she didn't have anyone to return home to. Her mind went back to the card which was still stuffed in her nightstand. She should have thrown it away when Morio sent those roses to her work, but she felt compelled to keep it. Was it wrong to see him as a backup plan just in case she never found anyone else again?

"… I figured I could have purple flowers while walking down the aisle." Ino said, placing her hands on her hips as she gazed at the roses in one of the vases nearby, "I'm not sure though."

She snapped back to reality and laughed softly at her friend's words, "I don't know to be honest. Your wedding is in a week, maybe you should have that figured out already."

Ino glared at her again before she started to ramble once more about her wedding. They stood in her flower shop and Sakura was lazily leaning against the counter, wishing she was somewhere else. When the bell rang by the door, the pinkette took notice that Ino's fiancé strolled in easily; moving towards her before he kissed the top of her head.

"I just got back from the funeral. I wish you could have been there with me." He stated, kissing the palm of her hand once he took it off the counter she held it on.

Ino blushed, "I had to work Kankuro, I'm sorry for not being there."

'That's right,' Sakura thought, 'Kankuro's father died recently.' She wondered why Ino couldn't have closed the store to be next to her fiancé while they buried his father. Then she remembered Ino didn't care much for his father to begin with… still… shouldn't she have been there?

Her thoughts disbanded when Kankuro chuckled and shook his head, looking at Sakura with a small smile; "Hey Sakura, how's it going?"

She returned his smile, "I'm distracted by your fiancé's bachelorette party… which she won't stop talking about you know. It's kind of annoying."

Kankuro shook his head, "It's a good thing I'm not having one. I don't feel like dealing with a stripper or something crazy that Sai would have planned."

Dread settled in her gut. Was Ino planning on having a male stripper there? She wouldn't put it past her best friend to do something that outrageous, and Sakura did _not_ want any part in it. "Why aren't you having one? Usually the males would have one before the females."

He shrugged, "I guess it's because I honestly didn't want to. Ino can have all the fun she wants. I'll probably just stay at home reading a book or something."

Sakura stared at him with confusion in her eyes. She was surprised their relationship was that trusting. Nowadays everyone was so afraid of their significant other cheating that they set up something just to see if their partner would do something they'd regret. Maybe she was just reading into their relationship too much. Perhaps she truly was lonely.

"Anyway, I'll see you later. I have to meet my little brother because he has something important to tell me." Kankuro kissed her lips, before leaving the shop again.

Sakura glanced at Ino curiously, "He has a little brother?"

Ino leaned on the counter, "Yeah, you didn't know that? He has a big sister too. I know them, but not well enough. Most of the time his little brother stays at home and his sister is busy with her son."

The pinkette was amazed with this information. How had she not known Kankuro had siblings? She's known him for nearly two years at this point. It never occurred to her that he could have other family members. It made her want to smack her forehead in embarrassment. "Wow, I didn't know that. How come you never said anything?"

"Because there wasn't a point in telling you? Temari's husband travels a lot for work so she must make sure her son is taken care of. And Gaara-"

"Wait, his little brother is Gaara?" Sakura interjected, obviously surprised. She's known Kankuro for **two** years and she was just _now_ figuring out who his little brother was?

Ino stared at her curiously for a moment, "Why are you so worried about it? You'll see them at the wedding next weekend."

Sakura felt her heart drop. This was the perfect way to see Gaara again! For some reason she felt herself getting excited, but then she realized there was no need for that. She met Gaara how many times? Twice? Why did she even care anyway?

"Wait a minute…" Ino said, taking notice of the look on Sakura's face, "Have you met Gaara already?"

She shook her head quickly, "No!" Then she saw Ino's smile getting bigger, which caused her to huff in annoyance, "I saw him in the hospital! That's all!" She failed to mention that she saw him in the coffee shop too, but she figured that didn't matter. Why would it? It wasn't like they had spoken more than a few words to one another.

Ino snickered, "Sakura you realize you acted this way about Sasori too right?"

She frowned when she mentioned one of her exes, causing her to look away. When she met Sasori, it was in one of her art classes in college. He had become her tutor because she was not creative or talented enough to even pass that class. Stupid general education rules… zoning back into the conversation, she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "So? We only exchanged a few words."

The blond nudged her lightly with her elbow, "Then get to know him at the wedding."

Sakura grabbed her bag and placed it on her shoulder as she headed for the door, "No. That's okay, he seemed interesting… but…" She paused and looked at her feet. What was she so afraid of? Rejection? Maybe she didn't think he cared for her presence?

"Stop being afraid Sakura. Take a risk for once in your life, you never know. It may just be the best decision you could ever make."

Ino waved to her though Sakura made no move to return it. She knew the blond was right, but she was too busy to focus on that aspect in her life anyway. Sakura wanted to be a doctor, having a boyfriend would only get in the way of that. Besides, Gaara and her weren't even friends. Why would they _need_ to get to know each other?

Sakura shook her head and figured she was just being ridiculous. Ino shouldn't have tried to intrude in on her personal business. She stopped her thoughts when her home came into view. Once she was inside, she greeted her kitten with a light pat to her head, before she went into the living room. She stopped short when she noticed the card sticking out of the drawer.

She moved towards it and grabbed the card, glancing at the name once again. Why was she so worried about this? Was it because her mother called her and asked about her future? Was it because of Ino? Sakura grew frustrated and threw the card away, deciding she has had enough of others trying to control her life. She would do things her way, regardless of the consequences.

* * *

A/N: I hope I don't put anyone off pairing Kankuro with Ino. Hopefully people still follow the story. Please review and let me know what you think. ^^


	4. Chapter 4

The night of the bachelorette party had Sakura wishing she was at work. Ino made her put on a smoking hot dress which revealed her figure in _too_ many places, as she tugged and pulled on her hair. This was about the blond celebrating her freedom one more time before she got married, but Sakura felt like it was about her.

Was there something Ino was planning? She grew suspicious of her best friend, even though she tried not to show these suspicions on her face. It didn't help her case though. Ino finished placing her hair into a perfect high bun, and allowing some strands to cradle her cheeks. "See you look beautiful. You'll probably have guys hitting on you all night!"

Sakura sighed softly, "It's the middle of October, I don't want to freeze before we even get into the club Ino."

Ino giggled softly and placed the veil on her head to signify who she was, "It won't be that bad. It's just you, me, Tenten, and Hinata. I'll make sure they won't be creepy guys okay?"

Sakura wanted to believe her, but no matter what she thought, Ino always ended up too drunk to protect her best friend from jerks. She usually had to carry her home when the night was over. Sakura hoped Ino would be better this time, because she wasn't going to do it. After they were done at the club, they were supposed to go to Tenten's house and watch chick flicks. She hoped they kept up with that plan.

Hearing a knock on her door, Sakura rushed down the stairs as fast as she could, and opened it to reveal Tenten on the other side. She nearly missed Hinata, but she saw her hair come into view. "Are you guys ready to go?" Tenten asked, giving her a smile.

"Yes, come on Ino-pig, it's time to go!" She yelled up the stairs, "So you're the designated driver?" Sakura asked her, a little surprised.

Tenten gave her a look and shook her head, "Hell no. Hinata is the DD, I'm just letting her use my car instead of her own. I'm getting drunk."

Hinata giggled softly, "It's okay Sakura, I don't want to drink too much."

Sakura would have replied if Ino hadn't scurried down the stairs and ran into her as she came to the door. She glared at the blond for a moment, but didn't start an argument, as they needed to hurry before the club got too crowded. Once they piled into Tenten's car, Hinata pulled away and started down the road; enjoying the sounds of the other girls singing along to the radio.

The pinkette didn't understand why Hinata didn't want to drink, but she figured it was because she was nervous around them despite the friendship they had for so long. Considering they all went to the same academy together, Sakura didn't understand why Hinata still seemed shy. Sakura considered asking her that, but Ino interrupted her before she could do so.

Maybe Sakura should be careful on what she drank too, just to help Hinata out in case a guy wanted to intrude on them. Hinata may have seemed shy and weak, but that wasn't the case at all. She and Sakura took karate lessons together when they went off to college. So they knew how to defend themselves.

But now she was distracting herself when in truth, she should be having fun. Deciding there was no reason to worry with the night, she started singing with Ino, though she had no business to do so. Her voice was awful. Who cares though right?

Once they parked, they started walking towards the club; arms linked through one another as they stood in line to get inside. There weren't many people in front of them, but Sakura didn't like the idea of being so far back. She was absolutely _freezing_ … this is what she gets for letting Ino choose her outfit. Shaking out of her thoughts, she glanced at Tenten's phone when she pulled it out. Realizing it was half past eleven, she sighed. Hopefully they got inside soon.

As they waited, Sakura felt herself begin to tremble. "Man, I really hope that bouncer hurries up." She muttered in annoyance, glaring at Ino when the blond began to laugh at her softly.

"Be patient Forehead girl. I know the bouncer, he'll let us inside as soon as we get to the entrance."

For some reason Sakura doubted that. She glanced at the man moving people to the side and moving the rope out of the way so others could go into the club. Now that she thought about it, he **did** look familiar… but his name was escaping her. Her thoughts disbanded when they approached the entrance and Ino greeted him easily.

"Choji!" Grabbing their ID's, she gave them to him and he checked them before allowing them inside. Sakura sighed with relief and watched as Tenten stuffed them into her pockets. She was the only one who was smart enough to wear pants while the other three wore dresses. Sakura regretted that decision wholeheartedly, but there wasn't much she could do about it now.

They found a booth in the back and sat down while Ino went to the bar so order their drinks. Tenten and Hinata chatted away as Sakura stayed distracted by the phone in her hands. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but she was kind of bored now. Hopefully they could get drunk fast enough to where Sakura forgot all her thoughts.

When Ino returned, she placed the shots on the table, "Drink up ladies!"

Sakura placed her phone away before sniffing at the drink in the shot glasses. 'Dammit… she got tequila shots. She knows those don't go well with me.' She took notice Ino was giving her a grin, which meant the blond knew exactly what she was doing. 'Bitch.' Sakura mouthed, before taking the shot and eating the lime afterwards.

"Come on Sakura!" She shook her head, and moved out of the booth when Ino started pulling on her arm, "It's time to go dance."

She looked at Hinata who gave her a shy smile before she went back to playing on her phone as well. Why couldn't Sakura have been deemed the DD instead? Sighing softly, she moved towards the dancefloor with them and began to shake her hips.

Tenten had ran back to the bar to order them drinks before she returned to her friends, giving them what they wanted. Sakura had a redbull with vodka in her hands while Ino drank her mojito, and Tenten had her whiskey. She was glad that these women knew her so well that they could decipher which drink she wanted without even having to ask.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she stopped being distracted long enough so she could enjoy herself. She was there with her best friends, there was no need to get lost in her mind right now.

* * *

Gaara sighed for the umpteenth time that night, his jade hues narrowing in on the bar he leaned against. He nursed a scotch in his hand while his other friends danced in the crowd and acted like fools. Gaara wasn't sure why Naruto wanted to host his birthday party in this bar, but he supposed there was no reason for him to question it.

Shaking his head, he looked towards Naruto who was dancing with some female he probably just met. He couldn't tell who she was, and he hoped to Kami that Naruto wouldn't try to go home with her. That's not what the blond needed right now… some one-night stand that could end up pregnant or something.

He noticed Kiba was grinding with another woman while Lee struck up conversations with women at the bar. Gaara realized the difference between his group of friends, and figured he was probably the sane one. A light chuckle escaped his lips as he finished the rest of his drink before Naruto wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

Gaara could smell the alcohol radiating off his form. He was _already_ fucked up beyond repair. Gaara growled in annoyance and shrugged him off. "Gaara! Do shots with us!" Naruto nudged him and placed a tequila shot in front of him, which caused the red head to glare at him.

"You forget that tequila and I do _not_ get along."

Naruto snickered, "I didn't forget." He nudged him again, "Do it for the birthday boy please?"

He wanted to smack Naruto in the face for using that against him, but he guessed there was nothing he could do about it. They clinked their glasses together, and after shaking his head, he did the shot before sucking on the lime afterwards. He grimaced as memories flooded through his mind. Tequila was his downfall, especially when it started to taste like water instead of alcohol. He really hated Naruto sometimes.

Naruto and the other boys walked away from him, giving him a moment of peace; which gave him relief as well. Sighing, he ordered another scotch for himself and nursed it while he kept his focus on the bar in front of him. Looking around the club, his eyes stopped on someone he didn't realize would be there. Moving forward, Gaara snatched the plant out of his hands.

"What are you doing Kankuro?"

Kankuro had this look on his face like he was caught red-handed. "Uh… enjoying a little music?"

Gaara stared at him before looking towards the scene he had been watching before the red head intruded on him. He noticed Kankuro's fiancé dancing with a group of girls, their smiles and laughter easily shown while they did so. Looking at his brother again, he glared at him; "So you're spying on Ino?"

"Yes. But don't give me away dammit!" Kankuro hid behind one of the shelves and peeked over it. Gaara wanted to smack him for being so stupid.

"I thought you trusted her to have a party without you intruding on her fun."

Sighing, the brunette shook his head solemnly. "I do trust her. I just wanted to make sure she wasn't doing anything she'd regret…"

Gaara knew it was a lie, but he figured he'd allow his brother the comfort of knowing he probably tricked him in this regard. "Go home Kankuro. I'm here, so I'll let you know if she does anything."

It seemed like nothing would convince his older brother to leave until he finally admitted he was doing something wrong and left. Gaara finished his drink and rolled his eyes at his stupidity, heading back towards the bar so he could order himself another scotch. He paused his movements when he heard yelling in the crowd.

With the music so loud, he almost missed it. Starting in that direction, he noticed Sakura trying to get away from some creep who had latched onto her. The second time she smacked his hand away, Gaara noticed the male reach up as if he was going to hit her in return. Annoyed and disgusted with his gender, he headed in that direction; grabbing his wrist painfully before he could land a strike.

He looked at the red head in surprise, just as Sakura had. "I believe she wants to be left alone." When he squeezed the perpetrators wrist, he yelped, and rushed off once Gaara released him. He looked at Sakura afterwards and saw the smile on her face. She seemed drunk, but not drunk enough to where he thought she was a lost cause.

Though before he could say anything, the same male who tried to dance with her came at them again, and slashed at his hand with a broken beer bottle. Gaara hissed and didn't have any time to react when the bouncer suddenly had the man on the floor, tackled and in a firm grip.

Sakura was in nurse mode in a matter of seconds, grabbing a napkin and placing it on the wound as she led him from the club to the outside. This time he could get a better look of her. Her hair had fallen out of the bun she was placed in, and her usual porcelain skin was flushed from the alcohol. He felt his heart stop in his chest.

Hailing a taxi was easy and she could keep pressure on his wound until they made it to her place. He didn't even ask her why. He simply followed her as she led him inside her house, ignoring her kitten which meowed in greeting. She took him to her bathroom and grabbed the First Aid Kit she had beneath the sink.

"Sakura—"

"Shh."

Sakura hushed him firmly and began to clean up the wound on his hand, even though he had winced when she poured the alcohol on it. He studied her face while she did this, and took notice that she was concentrating. Her emerald hues remained narrowed as she finished and wrapped it in gauze, giving him a soft smile once she was done.

"There... Luckily you didn't need stitches."

Gaara didn't answer her right away. Looking at his hand before glancing back at her again, he gave her a confused expression. "Why?"

She seemed startled and moved away from the bathroom as he followed her. "You were defending me. It was only right to clean you up."

He pursed his lips into a fine line and sighed. "Sorry for taking you away from—whatever it was you were in the club for."

Giving him another smile, she started to pour them some tea. "I was there for a bachelorette party."

Gaara halted his movements and stared at her for a moment. Wait… was she there with Ino? "For whom if I might ask?"

"My best friend Ino, she's getting married next weekend. I'm the maid of honor. I'll just have to text her and tell her why I left."

When she handed him the glass, he stared at her stupidly and remained silent for a moment. So she knew the fiancé of Kankuro. How ironic was that? He wasn't sure what he should say, but he figured there wasn't much he could say other than— "Thank you for patching up my hand."

"It was no problem, thanks for protecting me from that weirdo."

Gaara placed the cup down and headed for the door, causing the pinkette to be startled again for a moment. She followed him, which caused him to stop as he grabbed the doorknob. "You don't need to rush off… you can stay here for a bit."

He didn't understand why she would want him to remain with her. Technically they were strangers, right? Before he could speak, she took his hand and looked at his palm again; then she gave him another smile. As he gazed into her eyes, he realized there was no reason for him to leave. At least not yet…

Her smile caused him to return the affection, and they returned to her living room. That's when she decided to tell him a little more about herself instead of being silent as they usually were. Looking at this girl caused him to let down his guard.

Even if it was only for a little bit.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Things have been rather crazy, sorry for such a delay! College just started and I have been busy adjusting to my new schedule. Thanks for the patience!

* * *

"You have some explaining to do."

Sakura looked up from her book and sighed when she noticed Ino standing in front of her with her arms crossed over her chest. It seems her best friend did not understand her reason for leaving the club that past weekend. Placing a bookmark in the chapter she paused on, she leaned back. "What do you want me to say? I told you I had to patch up this guy's hand when he saved me from that freak at the club."

She sat down in front of her and whined, "But we didn't even finish our night! Who _was_ this guy?"

The pinkette seemed hesitant in telling her who it was. It wasn't like her and Gaara did anything. She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "… Um… Kankuro's little brother?"

Sakura wanted to smack herself in the face for telling her because as soon as the smile appeared on Ino's lips, she wished she hadn't told her who it was. "So… you ditched us to go rendezvous with Gaara then?"

She didn't want to explain why she left the club for the third time, but Ino insisted on bugging her about her business. It was kind of annoying if Sakura was being honest. She recalled their conversation; a light smile appearing on her lips as she did so. There was something about the red head that intrigued her. Maybe she was being ridiculous, she wasn't sure.

"… _What do you do for a living?" Sakura looked at Gaara with another smile as she leaned backwards, crossing her arms over her chest. Now that they were in her home, she felt a little warmer than she had been beforehand. She honestly hated cold weather._

 _Gaara seemed hesitant for a moment, "… I am an aspiring writer but I only post on certain forums." It wasn't a lie, but he couldn't quite tell her that he was an author. He kept his name hidden from those books for a reason. Shaking himself from those thoughts, he leaned against the wall; "Though I am not as famous as others."_

 _Sakura looked distracted, but she quickly turned to look at him before she stood up; a book held in her hands. "Maybe you could look through these books?"_

 _His gaze went down to look at the cover, taking note that she was holding his second novel. He pursed his lips into a fine line and took it from her, staring at the man who stared into broken glass. His reflection showed that he was broken, which symbolizes how Gaara felt most of the time. "Why?"_

" _They're my favorite. I can't wait for the continuation, so I reread them. I feel like they could help you."_

 _Looking away from her again, he brushed his fingers against his initials. "Why do you like them?"_

 _She smiled, "Because he reminds me of myself. I don't think I am an angel by any means, but with all the pain he embraced in both books, why does he continue to fight?"_

 _Gaara figured he couldn't quite argue with that logic. Kiyoshi Sasaki was born in Heaven, an abomination created between an angel and a demon, but mercy was placed on his soul. He was condemned to Earth, placed in an institution until he was adopted. As he grew older, everything that had been kept hidden was coming to the surface. There was to be a war between Heaven and Hell, and he was the key to Heaven's survival._

 _In the first book, it was mostly the introduction and all the hardships he faced after being sent to Earth. How he lost his mother from the demon who wished his demise, and what revealed him as a half-breed. The second novel opened the war and the friends he gathered during that time. Gaara was writing the third novel about the war itself, but he felt stuck. Kiyoshi deserved a peaceful end._

" _I wonder that myself." Gaara said softly, glancing into her eyes for a moment. It seemed like they were captivated with each other, but Sakura broke eye contact when she looked away._

 _Sakura stepped away from him and went back to her couch, sitting next to her kitten which snuggled into her side. "Maybe some questions don't need to be answered." Their eyes met again, and he felt his heart drop in the pit of his stomach. She was right, some questions_ _ **didn't**_ _need to be answered. Yet… he wondered something…_

" _What do you think should happen in the book?"_

"…. You are zoning out again and it is really starting to get annoying!" Ino growled out, huffing a bit to show her frustration.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she blushed and shook her head. "Sorry, I guess I'm just thinking about something…"

"Why are you being so secretive with me forehead girl? I don't appreciate it."

The pinkette frowned and leaned back in her chair, wishing she was by herself once again instead. Why did Ino approach her in the first place? "Look Ino, I'm sorry I abandoned you on your bachelorette party, but he protected me from some weirdo and was cut up for it. I only wanted to help him out. The good thing was he didn't need stitches."

Ino sighed, "Fine. I guess I can't be mad at you for it…" She shook her head and grabbed her coffee cup from the table. "I have to get back to work, enjoy the rest of your day. I'll see you Saturday."

When she left, Sakura sighed with relief. 'Thank Kami that's over.' She muttered to herself, before opening her book again and going back to where she left off. Her thoughts went back to her and Gaara's conversation from that past weekend.

 _Sakura's head snapped in his direction, "What?"_

" _What do you want to happen?"_

 _She seemed startled by his question for the moment, and she started to wonder why he would even ask her such a thing. She felt exposed. "… Well Kiyoshi has been alone his whole life. Even though he's had family and friends, it seems he needs something more. A lover perhaps. I think it's just the romantic in me that wants him to have a happy ending."_

 _Gaara didn't respond to her right away because he wasn't sure what he should say. He hadn't written Kiyoshi with anyone since he started the book as he wanted it to focus on him and those who cared for him… in a non-romantic way. He had been stuck on the third novel for days… but when she mentioned a lover, something snapped in him._

 _That's what had been missing right? Technically all characters didn't need someone to love them, but Gaara figured it made sense. "That… seems like a good point."_

 _Moving towards her again, he gave her the book back and nearly snatched his hand away when their fingers brushed together. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he met her gaze again and he eventually had to leave. There wasn't much else said while they were together, but she had revealed herself to him more than she initially thought._

Sakura sighed softly. When he left, he rushed out of her home and made her wonder if he didn't want to be there any longer than he had to be. She wasn't sure why she asked him to stay, but there was something about him that had her curious. He genuinely seemed interested in what she had to say about that book.

Shaking her head, she placed her book into her bag and left the coffee shop. She had to work that night so she needed to hurry home to prepare herself. Once she was inside, she changed her clothes into her usual scrubs and kissed her kitten's head. "I'll be back in the morning Akemi," She said, meeting her yellow eyes, "Don't give me that look."

Akemi meowed sadly and Sakura simply rubbed her black fur gently, "Don't worry, I will be."

With that being her last words said, she locked her door and got into her car. She wasn't looking forward to working that night, but it was the last time she would have to work before the wedding. Thanking whoever looked after her (Tsunade), she started her car and headed to the hospital.

* * *

Kankuro stared at his reflection and nervously swallowed. He was getting married that night and a part of him was absolutely freaking out about it. What if Ino regretted her decision? He wondered if he could escape through the window without tipping anyone off.

Gaara smacked the back of his head, "You need to relax."

His older brother rubbed the spot he smacked and growled in annoyance, "What if she ends up regretting her decision to marry me?"

When Gaara didn't respond right away, he nearly ran towards the window which was open; allowing the cold air to filter through. The red head stopped him though, simply pushing him away from it. "She dated you for a year and a half. If she could deal with you for that long, I'm sure she won't leave you."

They didn't rush their relationship and they were friends before he even asked her out. Since their year anniversary, she moved in with him and after a few months, Kankuro proposed to her in Paris. She said yes, and they've been planning ever since. Gaara didn't see the appeal of the blond, but luckily, he wasn't the one marrying her.

Kankuro sighed in relief, "I think you're right."

Gaara stared at him but didn't respond. Rolling his eyes, he situated himself on the couch and watched as Shikamaru strolled into the room. "Are you ready?" He asked, looking towards Gaara who was simply scowling. He didn't know why, but he decided he wouldn't ask.

"… No time better than the present I guess…"

Eventually they left there and headed towards the room where they'd get married. Gaara stood next to his brother and Shikamaru, as they waited for Ino to walk down the aisle. The maid of honor and bridesmaids came down first, and eventually the blond was revealed.

Gaara met Sakura's eyes for a moment as the couple stated their vows, and it startled him briefly. He had been writing his novel since their last engagement, and surprisingly found a way to introduce a woman into Kiyoshi's life. Now he was halfway through the book, and he was stuck again. Love wasn't something he was especially good at.

When the pinkette gave him a smile, he looked away quickly and waited for the ceremony to be over so the reception could begin. Once the bride and groom walked back down the aisle, Gaara followed them with Shikamaru not too far behind him. They gathered in the room which had been created for everyone to gather in so they could congratulate Ino and Kankuro on their marriage.

The red head situated himself in the corner of the room, grabbing a wine glass so he could get some alcohol pumping through his system. The bride and groom began their dance together as the crowd gathered around to watch. Gaara sighed softly and nearly chugged the wine, but stopped when he felt a hand touch his to stop him from doing so.

"You drink that too fast and you could get alcohol poisoning."

He looked towards the pinkette who stood in front of him with a smirk on her lips. "Just saying. I could help you here, but I doubt I could do anything for you."

Gaara noticed she hadn't released his hand, though he realized she was checking the scar. "It seems to be healing nicely. How are you doing? Are you in any pain?" Sakura questioned softly, her emerald hues glancing back into his own.

He felt his heart begin to thump wildly in his chest, but he tried his best to ignore it. "It is hard to ignore sometimes. The pain fades every now and then."

Sakura finally let go of his hand and turned to look at her best friend when she was dipped by Kankuro. A small smile spread on her face, "Ironic don't you think?" She asked, looking at him with a curious expression. He wasn't sure what she meant by 'ironic', but he figured there was no point in him asking.

"Kankuro nearly ran out on the wedding because he was afraid Ino would regret her decision."

She giggled, "Ino said the same thing to me but I was able to change her mind. You can tell how much she loves him when she looks at him." Sakura felt her jealousy spring into action, but she kept it back. She should be happy for her best friend, not wishing that she had the same thing.

Her mind went back to Morio for a moment. Ever since the roses came to her work, Sakura hadn't seen anything else, and it started to confuse her. She threw away the card but ended up taking it out of the garbage can. She felt the need to open herself up to another person. After dating Sasori and then dating Hidan a few months later, she didn't want a boyfriend.

Sasori had to move away and they parted on good terms. She read up on him once and it showed that he approached his dream of becoming an artist. Sakura was happy for him. Hidan however… she didn't care for him anymore. She found him to be in jail a few months ago, which revealed that she did a good thing by deserting him when she did.

He was emotionally abusive and didn't care for her as much as he should have. When she saw his face in the newspaper she was shocked. Especially when it said that he killed his girlfriend as some sacrifice for 'Jashin' or something. Sakura felt her heart sink into the lowest part of her stomach. If she stayed with him, could that have happened to her?

Her thoughts disbanded when Gaara spoke again, "I don't understand their relationship."

Sakura blinked in confusion. What did he mean he didn't understand their relationship? "Well they say opposites attract." She told him in response, giving him a shy smile. Ino had managed to tell her _everything_ about their relationship, even things she honestly _didn't_ want to hear about. Her and Kankuro had their fights, but nothing kept them apart.

Gaara shrugged, "I suppose I just find love confusing."

Sakura rubbed the back of her head, 'Says the man who has the word on his forehead…' She sighed and finished the rest of her wine, deciding she should probably head home. Even though she was off that night, it didn't mean she was off the next day.

Before she could move, Gaara held his hand out for her to take. She looked at him curiously and was about to ask what he wanted until he spoke before she could, "A dance?"

Feeling her nervousness approach her stomach, she simply tried to shake them away as she took his hand. The first dance was over which meant anyone else could get on the dancefloor. Sakura wasn't accustomed to this sort of thing, but she figured there was nothing wrong with allowing the red head to show her what he was made of, now was there?

She wrapped her hands around his shoulders as he placed his onto her hips. It made her heart skip a beat, but she figured it was because she hadn't been touched by a male in a long time. It was a slow dance surprisingly, so she could practically feel his heat.

A blush appeared on her cheeks and she simply situated herself so he couldn't see it. He towered over her regardless, but she still felt embarrassed. She could even feel Ino's eyes on her and just _knew_ her best friend was smirking. Sakura would have to deal with the questions later. 'Great, that's just what I needed…' she rolls her eyes and pushed her cheek onto his chest.

She could hear his heartbeat and she closed her eyes, enjoying the soft rhythm it made. It seemed like everyone else around them had disappeared and she barely paid attention to any of it. When the song was over, they didn't remove themselves from one another's presence. They danced throughout the rest of the wedding, and stopped once it was time for Ino and Kankuro to leave for the honeymoon.

Sakura waved goodbye to her and watched as the limo rode out of the church parking lot. She and Gaara didn't have much else to say, so when he left, she gave him a small hug. She appreciated that he stayed with her that night. She wondered if he could see the loneliness behind her eyes and assumed he stayed with her because of that.

The pinkette could tell he was sad, but she wouldn't tell him that. Sakura was about to walk to her own car when she stepped on something which caught her attention. She looked down and grabbed the pendant from the concrete. This was… Sakura started frantically searching for Gaara though she knew he had left a few minutes prior.

A soft sigh escaped from her lips. It seems she would have to keep it until she saw him again. She didn't have any way of contacting him and Ino was going on her honeymoon. A dark part of her wanted to hold onto it just so she had another excuse to see him again, but she tried to ignore those feelings. She was simply doing him a favor…

Sakura got into her car and hurried home where she could place the pendant in a safe place. After she showered and changed, she moved into her bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. Did Gaara even notice that his pendant was gone? What if he was searching for it and she was being selfish by holding onto it for him?

She shook those thoughts away. She wasn't being selfish… she simply wanted to see him again. What was so wrong with that? Snuggling against her kitten, she fell asleep and dreamed of scenes that seemed to happen only in movies.

When she woke up, she went to work with a motivation she hadn't seen before. There was no reason to dwell on those thoughts though. Soon enough she would approach Gaara and return his pendant… then… well, she had no idea what would happen next. Perhaps she was only playing herself. She shook her head and decided she needed to focus on work. That needed to come first…

Right? For some reason, Sakura found her heart denying that answer.


	6. Chapter 6

" _Stop!"_

 _Sakura yelled as she ran away from the two bullies who chased after her. They already beat her badly before she eventually ran down the street from her school. Her books nearly fell out of her bookbag while she did so._

 _She tripped over her shoe and fell to the ground, wincing when she felt them start hitting on her again. Covering her head, she started to cry and begged them to stop hitting her. Why was she the unlucky one? Why did she always end up in these situations? She said stop one more time before she met the eyes of a stranger watching her in the distance._

 _When she thought her luck was getting worse, the male had stepped up and started beating the crap out of the two guys who hurt her. He_ _ **destroyed**_ _them. Once they ran away, Sakura noticed he was about to follow them until he heard her cough. He looked back at her as her eyes settled his figure; the pain seen in her expression. A little pity crossed his face for a moment, but he easily let that go. He held his hand out for her to take, and with a bit of hesitation, she took it._

 _The stranger pulled her up and went to pick up her books, but she stopped him. "…You don't need to do that. You chased them off, that's enough."_

 _Sakura didn't know if it was because she looked broken or if it was the fact that he didn't want to leave her alone just in case they came back. She wanted to ask, but she didn't feel the confidence rise in her to even bother with it. "I want to help."_

 _She seemed unsure and he obviously didn't like the idea of her being so weak-minded. He could tell she was a strong individual, but these monsters made sure to have her idea of that destroyed. The male didn't wait for her to respond and just started picking up the rest of her books anyway. When he handed them to her, she stared at him curiously._

 _There were questions behind his eyes and she could see it. Why did those two males beat on her? Why did she let them do it? Why is she bothering this conversation? She seemed afraid of him, but also not. His fingers brushed hers for a moment and it caused her to gasp, a blush appearing on her cheeks out of embarrassment._

 _Luckily it seemed he took it as she was in pain from her injuries. "Do you need me to help you go home?"_

" _No… no, I already bothered you enough. I don't need to keep you from your affairs." Whatever his 'affairs' were anyway. She had no idea who he was, of course she would be nervous around him. Gaara pursed his lips into a fine line as he sighed. Maybe he would leave and go back to wherever he came from; forgetting that this ever happened._

 _When she didn't move from her spot, he reached out and lightly touched her cheek which had already began to swell up. She winced but didn't shy away from his touch. "I can escort you home and help patch some of the areas you wouldn't be able to reach."_

 _She inhaled sharply when he touched her neck because of the cut, but he paid no mind to it. She nodded her head and backed away so she could show him to her home. She wasn't sure why she trusted him. She had been beaten up by two males and she didn't want to think he had some hidden agenda, but she couldn't help herself._

 _Once they were at her home, she stopped in front of her door and looked at him. "I can stay out here if that makes you more comfortable. Just bring me whatever you can."_

 _A small smile appeared on her lips and she nodded, heading inside so she could grab the first aid kit which was under her bathroom sink. When she returned to him, she handed him the items and patiently waited for him to start his work. Gaara started to bandage up the wounds he knew she wouldn't be able to reach, and watched her grimace once he poured alcohol on the larger cuts._

" _What's your name superman?" She asked with a light laugh, which caused him to chuckle a bit in return._

" _My name is Gaara." He told her after he brushed some of her pink hair away from her swollen eye, his gaze concentrating on it slightly._

 _She closed her eyes and allowed him free reign, obviously showing him that she trusted he could get it done. "I'm Sakura, it's nice to meet you."_

 _Gaara didn't respond and simply focused on trying to make sure she was patched up before her parents arrived home. Sakura could tell he wanted to be gone before that happened, so he was also trying to rush a bit. She wondered if it was because he didn't want them to see him with her like this otherwise they'd probably think he was the one who did it. Which sounded ridiculous, but she understood his reasoning._

 _When he finished, he handed her the supplies back and gave her a small smile. It didn't reach his eyes, but Sakura didn't comment on that. "Is there anything else-?"_

 _She quickly interrupted him before he could finish his question, "Nope! I appreciate the help, and you even patched me up in return. Thanks."_

 _He seemed hesitant to leave her for a moment, but he eventually moved away from her. Gaara started to walk away, though he didn't notice that she was still watching him as he walked down the street. Shaking her head, she decided there was no reason to focus on him. This would be the last time they ever spoke, right?_

 _A part of her had a hard time of believing that, but she didn't dwell on it._

Sakura woke up with a light gasp, sweat covering her skin as she stared at the covers she held onto. She shook her head in frustration and rubbed her eyes, ignoring the fact that her kitten was now rubbing against her as if she sensed her distress. Sakura looked at her for a moment and sighed. "Akemi, it wasn't anything serious."

Just memories that appeared in her head again. So… she _knew_ Gaara before? It was a small occurrence, but for some reason she felt... relieved? Glad? Happy? 'He was the one who saved you from those bullies and patched you up.' She thought, a smile appearing lightly on her lips.

She hadn't forgotten that day, but her rescuer had faded into nothing and eventually couldn't remember who saved her. When her parents came home and saw her like that, she had no choice but to explain what went on. After that, her mother picked her up from the Academy instead of letting her walk home.

After that, Sakura never saw him again and wondered if she dreamed up the whole thing. Stuff like that only happened in fiction… but there it was. He helped her when bullies terrorized her and even helped her with spots she couldn't reach. It seemed ironic now that she thought about it. Why did this memory pop into her head?

Throwing the covers off her person, she moved into the bathroom and grabbed her glass before pouring water into it so she could quench her thirst. Looking at the mirror, she grimaced at her appearance and lightly shook her head in embarrassment. Perhaps it was a good thing she finally remembered. Maybe she was just fooling herself though.

Sighing, she turned the light back off and laid down in her bed once again; snuggling into Akemi when she rubbed against her. It had been a couple of weeks since she last saw Gaara, and it bothered her more than she cared to admit. She still had his pendant and even though Ino returned from her honey moon, Sakura didn't want to give it to her. She wanted to give it to Gaara…

Her thoughts trailed off and she sighed, running her hand in Akemi's fur gently. "Maybe I'm being ridiculous. I shouldn't hold onto it, that's the wrong thing to do, right?"

Before she could even continue her thought process, she had fell asleep again. More memories played in her mind, but nothing helped her in this decision.

Eventually another week had gone by and considering how busy she was, Sakura completely forgot about the pendant which was in her book. She had to focus on her studies and the work which took up most of her time. Ino called and they hung out a few times afterwards, which caused Sakura to grow lonely once again. Seeing that ring on Ino's finger made matters worse.

Deciding she needed to experience another date, she called up Morio and arranged a meeting. As she waited, Sakura chewed her thumbnail, while she outside the restaurant she would meet her date by. She felt nervousness settle in her gut, but there was no reason to be that way right…? What if she was only kidding herself?

"Sakura!" She heard her name and turned to look at Morio who walked towards her with roses in his hands.

She gave him a small smile and accepted them gracefully, ignoring the fact that he tried to kiss her cheek. Stepping out of his advancements, she headed inside and they were led to a table. She held onto the menu with light interest, a frown settling on her lips. She didn't want to be here. She shouldn't have called this man and wasted his time.

"What do you think?"

Sakura looked at him briefly for a moment, "What?"

"What do you think we should get?"

"Oh…" She felt her cheeks light up in embarrassment. "Um… I suppose I'll get sushi."

Morio nodded in response and ordered their food for them, which annoyed her but she tried not to show it on her face. Why did he bother asking her if he was just going to do what he wanted? Shaking herself from those thoughts, she leaned back in her chair. "Look Morio, I have something to ask you… you sent roses to my work a couple of weeks ago. How did you know…?"

"… Well you saved my life." Morio interjected, "I was involved in an accident a month ago and you were the one who helped me in the hospital. I must confess I admired you ever since, but never felt the courage to approach you. It seemed fate decided that for me when I saw you on the street."

She felt relieved that he wasn't stalking her. She would have to fact check his story though and make sure he wasn't pulling her leg and lying to her. Though the look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. He was sincere in his words. Shaking her head, she gave him a small smile. "That's actually kind of sweet."

A voice popped into her head, 'And stalkerish. Why am I even here? I should try finding Gaara instead and ask him if he remembers me!' She knew her thoughts were silly, so she simply tried ignoring it. That chapter had closed. It was something of the past, nothing else. Why should she worry with it anymore?

'… But it's bothering you.'

Sakura ignored the voice again and growled when it spoke, 'Fine, I guess I'll ruin my own happiness for the sake of trying to please everyone else.'

"… And I enjoy golf."

She whimpered inside of her head. What had she done?

* * *

"Are you sure you don't know where it is?" Kankuro asked, leaning against his couch as he watched Gaara frantically searching through most of his belongings.

He looked back and glared at him, "Yes! It has been missing for weeks."

Kankuro sighed and simply approached his little brother and bent down so he was eye-level with him. "Maybe that means it's time to let it go. I know it's not what you want to hear, but you have other things to worry about. The deadline of your book, interviews, all sorts of—"

Gaara stood up and moved away from him, approaching his glass doors. "Look I'm sorry. I called the church and they said there is no pendant on their premises. I'm sorry Gaara, it might just be something you have to forget."

When Kankuro left, Gaara lightly smacked his hand against the wall and shook his head in frustration. Perhaps Kankuro was right, maybe it was time for him to forget that trinket. He knew his mother gave it to him because she wanted him to remember her, but this obsession didn't seem healthy in the least. He moved towards his laptop which held his novel inside and brushed his knuckles against the screen.

He was almost finished. The war was coming along nicely and Kiyoshi's love interest helped him forgive himself of all the sins he committed. He still didn't know how to write about love, but their relationship flowed easily as he continued through the chapters. He imagined her as a woman with pink— _not_ pink, _black_ hair. He meant to say black.

Gaara ran a hand through his hair and shut his laptop before he walked out of his apartment. Getting into his car, he drove off and headed in the direction of the city center where he could walk and possibly clear his head. He hadn't seen Sakura for a while now, and he wonders how she was doing. Maybe he was being ridiculous, he wasn't sure.

When he parked in one of the garages, he headed out in the street and snuggled his jacket close to his body. November was approaching them fast and even though he hated the cold, nothing helped him better than fresh air to gather his thoughts easily.

He moved through the streets without bumping into others, though most everyone had gone home. It was past seven o'clock, and wondered how long he should stay. Everyone knows as night approaches, it grew colder and he didn't need to end up with the flu.

Sighing softly, Gaara shook his head and past a restaurant, his gaze motioning inside for a moment before he looked away. But he stopped short when he noticed a shade of pink enter his vision and he almost suspected himself playing with his emotions. Once he glanced back inside though, he realized it _was_ Sakura sitting across from some male he never saw before.

His heart started to pound painfully in his chest and he became aware of the irritation that approached it. Considering she had roses next to her, he realized that it was a date of all things. That meant she was in a relationship. No, he was jumping to conclusions. If she was with someone, wouldn't she have brought him to the wedding?

Crossing his arms, he stared at them for a moment longer until he couldn't take it anymore. It caused his heart to ache and he wasn't sure why. Deciding it wasn't important, he backtracked and headed into the direction of his car; missing the moment when Sakura had caught him.

He was in his car for at least thirty minutes before he drove off, nearly missing the silhouette that was crossing the street. He noticed it was Sakura but she was alone, the man she was with nowhere in sight. Even the roses were gone. He waited until she was on the sidewalk to pull up next to her. Since she was wearing a dress, she _had_ to be cold.

"Sakura?"

She looked towards him and gave him a smile, which caused his lips to twitch. "Do you need a ride?"

Sakura didn't answer him right away, but she eventually went up to his car and got in; buckling her seatbelt shortly afterwards. He drove off and asked for her home address since he hadn't been there for weeks. The last time he was there, he was a little buzzed, so he couldn't remember it even if he tried.

He placed it into his GPS, and headed in that direction. She was rubbing her arms which caused him to turn the heat up and she quietly thanked him with another smile. Eventually they pulled up into her driveway, but she didn't get out. She stared at his dashboard and looked as if she wanted to say something, though her thoughts seemed to hold her back.

"Thanks for the ride Gaara." Sakura said, giving him another smile. She had seen him standing outside the restaurant, but she decided she wouldn't mention it to him. He was probably only walking by regardless, so she could embarrass herself if she asked what he was doing. That would make it look like she had been spying on him.

She still didn't get out of his car and he nearly wondered if it was because she was cold and didn't want to embrace the air which would meet her as soon as she removed herself. When she looked at him, he quickly looked away and stared at his wheel which caused her to giggle softly. "I appreciate it you know. I didn't have any extra money on me for a cab so I was stuck walking—"

Sakura stopped speaking when she noticed he was staring at her again, though this time their eyes were locked together. She felt herself swallow at the intense gaze he held with her, but she shouldn't think anything of it… right? "Gaara…?"

Once she spoke his name, it was like the spell had broken. Gaara looked away, "Sorry. You're welcome."

She pursed her lips into a fine line and grabbed his phone which was in the middle dash. He glanced at her curiously and watched as she typed on it. He didn't have a code, so she unlocked it with a swipe of her finger. When she was done, she handed it to him; "I put my number into your phone, I hope you don't mind."

Gaara felt his heart jump again but he didn't show any reaction. Before he could respond, she leaned over and kissed his cheek; thanking him one more time. She got out of his car and he waited for her to get into her home before he left. As he drove down the road, Gaara knew that was nothing more than a 'thank-you kiss', but he felt… strange.

When he pulled up to his apartment building, he turned off his car and leaned back; his mind whirling with thoughts. He had to write these things down before he forgot them.

Though he had no idea why.


	7. Chapter 7

"... Sakura, I have some paperwork for you."

Sakura looked up from her desk and turned, watching as Shizune moved into her office with a pile of paperwork in her arms. A soft sigh released from her lips when she realized she would probably end up staying at the hospital later than intended. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was a little past four o'clock, and she only had three hours left of her shift.

Shizune placed them on her desk and paused her movements, "Are you okay Sakura? You look a little… down?"

She turned away from her and shuffled through some of the papers, "I'm fine Shizune. Just tired I guess." For a moment, it seemed Shizune didn't believe her, but the black-haired nurse decided she wouldn't press her for more information. "I'll probably stay later than usual to finish what I can."

"Alright, I'll see you next week!"

'That's right, she's going on vacation.' Sakura thought to herself before waving goodbye to her. Once she was alone again, she worked through the papers and took her breaks when she had a few minutes to spare. When she was in her office, she glanced at the clock and noticed it was past the time her shift was over. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she started shuffling through the papers again.

Eventually around midnight, Sakura finished most of the paperwork Tsunade assigned to her. At least she was finally going home. It was late, she was tired, and she was glad she was off the next night. Shaking her head, she grabbed her car keys from her coat pocket and headed in the direction of her car.

Being so distracted, Sakura barely noticed the male approaching her from behind. Once a hand landed on her shoulder, she jumped and quickly grabbed the person responsible, placing him in a position that rendered him useless. When she noticed who it was, she let him go. "Morio? What are you doing here? And why would you sneak up on me like that?!"

Morio winced and grumbled, rubbing his wrist once he was released. "I was just trying to surprise you."

A look of irritation crossed her face. She wanted to go home, not stand here and talk to a stalker! "Morio, I don't mean to sound offensive—"

"You haven't answered my texts or my phone calls. I figured I could come to your work just to see if you were okay."

Sakura stared at him blankly. This was starting to become a common nuisance that she can't continue to endure. "So… you come to my job and wait until I'm off, then give me a heart attack?! Does that _sound_ normal to you Morio?"

Morio looked like a deer caught in headlights, his expression changing from its happy one to a scared one. "I-I didn't mean to—"

Deciding she didn't care about being nice, Sakura pointed a finger to his chest; "Do not contact me again! If you do, I will get a restraining order against you!"

She stalked away and rushed to her car, not looking back to see how he reacted to her statement. Approaching a girl in the middle of the night when she just wanted to go home was not only creepy—it was ridiculous. Sakura was glad she had those defense classes when she was in college otherwise this could have gone a completely different way.

Once inside her car, she immediately locked the doors and started it; waiting a moment for it to warm up before she left the parking lot. She felt skittish and worried that Morio followed her, so she made sure to circle the block a few times while watching her rearview mirrors. There didn't seem to be a car following her around so she decided she could go home without worries.

When she pulled into her driveway, she parked and got out; being sure the doors were locked, then headed into her home. She doublechecked the locks and looked at her kitten which rubbed against her legs. She smiled softly and kneeled to touch her head, "It's okay Akemi." Akemi must have noticed her demeanor, and for that she was thankful.

Heading up the stairs, she showered and prepared herself for bed. For the first time that day, she glanced at her phone and was startled to see a new number flash across the screen. Sakura clicked the message and felt a smile appear on her lips when the person on the other side revealed himself to be Gaara.

It was a simple message, just him telling her who it was, and not much else. Sakura tried to contain her excitement as she saved the number and texted him back to let him know she received it. Though she was surprised to hear the ringtone sound, which meant he replied instantly. Her heart started to pound lightly against her chest.

What was he doing up? She wondered to herself and even asked him in one of her messages. His response was that he couldn't sleep. It explained those circles around his eyes, but maybe she was just speculating for no reason. She was about to respond until her messenger sound rung again. Stopping her movements, she stared at the text in bewilderment.

" _Do you want to meet somewhere?"_

A blush appeared on her cheeks. Why did she feel so embarrassed? Sakura was tired, but now she felt wide awake. After he told her where to meet him, she shot up and quickly got dressed, leaving Akemi who was asleep on her side of the bed.

She was amazed Gaara even texted her. When she gave him her number, it was a few nights ago, and she figured he didn't want to talk to her longer than he had to. Shaking her head, she pulled up into the parking lot and noticed Gaara standing by one of the benches. He wore a beanie over his head, but Sakura could tell it was him just by his posture.

Suddenly feeling nervous, she turned off her car and got out; approaching him as loud as she could muster. When he turned to look at her, her heart stopped in her chest when his jade green hues met her own. It almost seemed like time stopped until he finally broke the eye contact.

Sakura laughed softly to herself and moved to stand beside him. Considering it was November, the air was colder than before, and she stood closer to him just to gain his body heat. "Why did you want to meet me here?"

She looked around and took notice of how empty the park looked at that time of night. It made her nervous, but not because she was with him alone. For some reason with him there, she felt… safe?

"I come here to look for inspiration when I have writer's block."

Sakura was silent for a moment, 'Right, he is a writer. I wonder what kind of forums he posts.' Though instead of voicing her thoughts, she placed her hands into her pockets. "Wouldn't you need to do that alone though?"

Gaara turned and glanced in her direction, "Sometimes, but there are moments when even a loner needs company to help them."

When her eyes met his again, she felt shocked. His words seemed to hold little meaning, but then again… it feels like he was trying to hint something to her. Did this mean he enjoyed her presence? Sakura always thought he didn't care for it much, but she realized she never asked. Another blush appeared on her cheeks and she looked away, thankful that it was dark and he couldn't see it.

There were a few lights littered around the sidewalks, and they could see each other, but not the fact that her cheeks lit up in embarrassment. "That's… surprisingly accurate."

Thoughts were whirling inside of her mind as she tried to think of what she could say. She remembered him from their past and she wondered if he knew he saved her from bullies. She also should mention the pendant she kept inside of her favorite book, but those words never approached her lips.

"What do you believe in?"

Sakura was startled. What kind of question was that? "What?"

"What do you believe in? What are your hopes? Your dreams? Things you wish to accomplish?"

She felt stumped. Now that someone asked her those questions, she felt that she had no idea how to answer them. She had plenty dreams and hopes to accomplish, but she still seemed frozen. Hesitating, she reached up and placed some of her pink hair behind her ear nervously.

When he chuckled, she looked at him with annoyance until she noticed the half-amused smirk dancing on his lips. "Did I catch you off guard?"

"Yes! Who asks those types of questions?!" She semi-yelled, huffing as she crossed her arms before turning away. It seemed like he was teasing her now and that was absolutely infuriating.

"It's a question someone asks when they wish to pick apart your mind."

Now she felt embarrassed again. With a soft sigh, she thought for a moment. "I want to become a doctor like my mentor Tsunade Senju. Not sure if you know her, but she's the best in the business."

"I doubt that. You have plenty of potential to achieve what you want most. Time may seem like it is going too slow, but you will notice that it flies by when you are having a good time."

Sakura felt her eyes wavering as she looked at him. And she _really_ looked at him. His gaze seemed sad and broken, unlike anything she had ever seen before. His eyes, brilliant and laminating against the darkness, held many secrets. Her gaze moved towards the kanji on his forehead which reflected his hair, that was nearly hidden by his hat. A part of her wondered why he bothered to ask. When she went out with Morio, he only cared for one thing: himself.

When he looked at her, she quickly glanced away and rubbed her arms to get warm. "I suppose I never thought of it that way."

"Not many of us do, at least… not until it's too late."

Sakura wondered if his words held a deeper meaning behind them and that's why he was telling her all of this. She went to the park that night in hopes to find something and she did. Though now she left the park with more questions than answers. The rest of the time they remained there, they spoke of hopes and dreams, and anything else they deemed important to tell the other person.

Before she knew it, it was nearing four in the morning and they both had to go home before the sun rose in the sky. As she laid in her bed, her emerald hues focused on the ceiling, and her heart swarmed with a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time.

Shaking her head, she turned and ran her fingers through Akemi's fur as she tried to distract herself. She had to go to bed before it grew too late and she felt exhausted in the morning. Well… more exhausted than she had been when she got off work. Closing her eyes, Sakura felt a small smile appear on her face as she dreamed of things that could possibly never happen.

Gaara leaned against the window of his apartment and stared at the city below. He could see plenty of cars riding by as people started their day and people walking the streets. He remained silent as he focused on nothing that he deemed important; his heart murmuring things he wished would go away, and his mind warning him of endless possibilities.

His book was approaching its end, but he was stuck on how he should end it. Kiyoshi and his love interest got along well, and he surprisingly wrote them accurately. Considering he had no idea how love was, Gaara was amazed with how nice most of it sounded. Hopefully people would think it made sense and wouldn't condemn him for his choices.

The night before he had gone to the park to inspire himself to write the rest of his novel, but he found himself feeling lost more than anything. That's why he texted Sakura and asked if she wanted to meet him there. Then again, maybe he just wanted to see her. Picking apart her mind seemed easy, but she confused him.

A part of him wanted to ask about that man she was with a few days ago, but never found the courage to allow the question out in the open. Why was he so nervous? His heart had plenty of ideas, and his mind shut them down every time. He's never felt this way before, so he was confused.

When his phone rang, he looked at the caller ID and answered the phone, "Yes Temari?"

Temari chuckled on the other end, _"You haven't contacted me in a while and I wanted to make sure you were still alive."_

He shook his head, "...Actually… I am glad you called." Gaara felt his heart in his throat and noticed Temari didn't respond so he could continue; "How did you know Shikamaru loved you?"

" _That's a weird question, but I suppose you have your reasons of asking. Well Shikamaru and I met at work. We were together nearly all the time, and he eventually asked me on a date. You know we dated for a year before he told me he loved me. But… you can see it in his eyes, and the way he looked at me. Though it doesn't happen when you are aware of it."_

Gaara never heard how they ended up together nor did he ever care to hear their story. Now that Gaara wrote Kiyoshi with a love interest, he found himself wondering about these things. In his mind, Sakura appeared and the smile he adored was with it. Wait, _adored_? Maybe he was losing his mind.

" _Why the sudden interest? You never cared before."_

"No special reason, it's just something for my book." That was the only thing he could give her before he hung up. He managed to call Kankuro as well, and asked him how he knew Ino loved him. Kankuro told him that it was in her gestures, along with the way she looked at him. Gaara never paid much attention to that either, so he would have to the next time they were all together.

Once he hung up the phone, Gaara stared at his laptop screen. Perhaps he was thinking too much and he needed to relax before he became a hermit. Closing the laptop, he grabbed his coat, and left his apartment building to go to the coffee shop.

After ordering his coffee, he looked around and noticed all the couples. He never paid any mind to them beforehand, so he wondered why they were all he cared about now. He paid close attention to the way the women glanced at their partners, and what they did for their attention. Some of them playfully hit them, or moved in their way just to mess with them.

Gaara grabbed his cup and stood in one of the corners, watching and waiting for something he possibly never saw before. Temari and Kankuro were right; it was in the gestures and the way they looked at one another that signified their love. Some were obvious, others… not so much. Gaara leaned on the wall and narrowed his eyes on most of the couples he was surrounded with.

For once in his life, he felt alone; more alone than he had been in years. Though when his phone rang and when he saw Sakura's name flash across the screen, he realized he wasn't as alone as he thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Gaara stared up at the clock which ticked silently as time went by. He wondered where Temari was. It wasn't like her to be late when they arrange a plan to meet up somewhere. With a soft sigh, he stared down at his coffee which was on the table in front of him. Ever since he last asked his siblings how they could tell their partners loved them, he had been studying couples.

It may have been strange, seeing a red-haired male sitting alone and watching others. He used the excuse that it was for his book, but deep down he knew it was because he was confused about his own emotions.

His thoughts disbanded when he watched Temari enter the restaurant and head in his direction. When she sat down, she placed her purse next to her and looked at him afterwards. "It seems like it's been a while since we saw each other." She said before waving the waitress over so she could order something to drink.

"Well I have not seen you since the wedding." Gaara answered dryly. Before that it was the hospital. He didn't go to his father's funeral because he did not want to do so. He should have been there for Shikadai, but as he mentioned before, Shikadai was smart for his age. Gaara wasn't worried for his nephew.

As if reading his mind, Temari sighed and spoke about their father. Which was something he didn't want to talk about. "The lawyer discussed the will with us. You'll be getting the heritance whether you want it or not."

He shrugged indifferently, "Then I suppose I will accept it if I have no choice." He didn't need his father's charity, but he guessed there was no real reason he shouldn't take the money.

"Shikamaru and I plan on saving it for Shikadai when he's older. He'll be able to use it for college."

Gaara figured that was a smart plan. Since he had no kids, he didn't know where he could put his. Maybe give it away to charity? "I guess that's what Kankuro plans when he and Ino have a child. I wouldn't know though."

She chuckled softly, "Maybe… who knows if they'd have a kid… What about you Gaara? Do you _ever_ plan on putting yourself out there?"

He pursed his lips into a fine line. He knew his sister meant well, but it annoyed him when she asked about his love life. Gaara has never been with a woman, nor did he plan to do so. Most of the time he found them annoying and he didn't want to deal with it. After watching what Kankuro went through, he decided he was better alone. Then again… his mind went to Sakura and he found himself zoning out before he could control it.

"Hey, you're somewhere else." Temari said, noticing the distant look on his face, "What are you thinking about?"

Gaara looked at her carefully, "Nothing that is important." He answered before grabbing his phone once he heard the ringtone go off. When he saw Sakura's name, unconsciously his lips turned into a small smile and he unlocked it to text her back.

Temari narrowed her eyes on him. She's never seen him smile at his phone. "Who are you talking to?" She asked this but didn't give him the chance to answer, and snatched his phone out of his hands. When she took notice of the name, she blinked in confusion. "… Sakura?"

Gaara grabbed his phone again in irritation, "Mind your own business Temari."

Temari didn't answer him right away. 'Why does that name sound familiar?' She thought to herself. She didn't get a good look at their messages, but she saw that this Sakura asked him what he was up to. With the way he smiled, there was something unusual about it. Did he have feelings for this girl? Racking her brain, she tried to remember why this girl sounded familiar.

"… Who is she Gaara? You know you can talk to me, right?" She said this, but she knew that he probably wouldn't tell her. Even though he grew closer with them over the years, he still held a few things to himself.

He was silent for a moment, staring at his phone and typing away. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, glaring at him when he looked up. "I suppose I shouldn't intrude. You never tell us anything anymore." She was suddenly angry, but she knew she shouldn't blame him for that. Their father ruined his view on a lot of things.

A soft sigh released from his lips, "She was Ino's maid of honor. I met her at the hospital when we visited father and ever since then, we've seen each other occasionally and spoke a few words."

She chuckled. 'That's right. I guess I wasn't paying much attention to her.' "With the way you smiled, it seems like something else Gaara." Temari drank some of her coffee when the waitress gave it to her. "What's she like?"

Gaara went into a description of what she looked like and how she was. Temari listened and one thought appeared in her mind. She knows who this girl is. Despite the fact she was Ino's maid of honor, Temari remembered a time when he saved her from bullies. "You said pink hair?" She asked after he was done telling her everything he knew about Sakura.

"Yes, why?" Gaara seemed confused and Temari knew he had reason to be.

"… I guess you forgot then?" When Gaara didn't answer, Temari explained what she meant. When he was younger, he met a girl who was being chased by bullies and saved her from them. Who was that girl? None other than Sakura Haruno, the girl he has been talking to the past couple of weeks.

When she was done, she could tell he was amazed. "Why do you remember this and I don't?"

Temari shrugged, "How am I supposed to know? You two only met once and it probably faded away in your memories. The only reason I remember is because I will never forget the one time my brother was nice in his life."

He glared at her, "I'm nice, what are you talking about?"

"When you were younger, you weren't. That's when we figured out you were skipping out on classes and you explained it was because you saw her being chased by two guys that beat her up. You also helped patch her up."

Gaara could scarcely believe what he was hearing. So, he and Sakura met before? Why couldn't he remember this all on his own? It annoyed him, but he tried his best not to show it on his face. Temari could tell without him even having to say a word. "I know this is a lot to process, so I wouldn't dwell on it."

"Do you think she remembers?" Gaara asked, though Temari wouldn't know the answer.

She gave him a small smile and simply shook her head. "I'm not sure, I think you'd have to ask her that, now wouldn't you?" Temari finished her coffee and grabbed her purse after placing a twenty on the table. "Call me when you want to meet again. I have to go pick up Shikadai from daycare." And then she was gone.

Gaara stared at the table for a moment, unsure as to whether he should ask Sakura whether she remembers him. She probably doesn't. Why would she? He wasn't memorable. Shaking his head, he paid for their coffee and split Temari's twenty to leave the waitress a tip. Walking out of the restaurant, he started down the street so he could get to his car.

His movements paused when he felt a hand tap his shoulder. Turning, he stared at a short brown-haired girl who had amber eyes; which seemingly stared into his soul. He was confused for a moment. Why was she bothering him? Glancing around, he tried to figure out if she just bumped into him by accident, but there wasn't anyone else on the sidewalk with them.

Before he could ask, she immediately gave him a smile. "Sorry for bothering you." She said, and it made Gaara sigh. "I just… wanted to talk to you for a moment. See I saw you across the road and couldn't help but feel like we should meet."

The irritation must have shown on his face because her smile disappeared. Gaara didn't give a damn if this woman was the president. She didn't need to bother him just because she 'felt' like they should meet. "Sorry, but—"

"I have to go. Please leave me alone." Gaara answered shortly, barely missing the shocked expression that appeared on her face. He didn't have time for her and he hoped she would take this as a rejection.

Shaking his head, he started for his car again and ignored her calling out to him. Perhaps he shouldn't leave his apartment again, lest he be ambushed by this woman again. Once inside his car, he sighed with relief and headed for his apartment building.

When he arrived, he locked his car doors and headed to his apartment; greeted by the silence, which he was thankful for. Here he could be alone and not worry about anyone else bothering him. Taking off his coat, he hung it up and removed his shoes before heading into the living room. Sighing, he sat down on the couch and relaxed for a moment.

His laptop was on the coffee table, closed and obviously mocking him. He had been able to write some more, but now he was stuck again. The frustration was overwhelming. At least he still had a few more months before his deadline. Running a hand through his red hair, he closed his eyes and nearly jumped when his phone went off.

He could see Sakura's name on the screen and it made a soft smile appear on his lips once more. He enjoyed talking to her and knowing that he had met her when they were younger, it made everything better. For them being friends. He wanted to ask if she remembered, but he figured there was no reason to bring up the past.

Reading the message caused him to chuckle. Apparently, she had a lot of work to do and could barely get herself anything to eat for dinner. For some reason, Gaara felt the need to give her something, but what would he get her?

After debating with himself for a few minutes, Gaara readied himself and headed out of his apartment again; grabbing them both something to eat. When they met at the park that night, she told him one of her favorite food was sushi. He figured it wouldn't hurt to get her that for dinner.

Gaara asked for Sakura as soon as he arrived, but the secretary barely paid him any mind. She waved him off and told him the office number. Gaara sighed in annoyance and went to her office, though he had trouble finding it at first. He knocked on the door and pushed it open when he realized it was cracked open.

There were a bunch of papers strewn over the desk and a bouquet of roses in the corner. He placed the bags down and looked at the card which was one of the flowers. _'Sorry for everything – Morio'_. Gaara was confused for a moment, but he decided he didn't really care who this 'Morio' was.

Eventually his eyes moved towards his book which laid in the middle of her desk. He took it and opened it up, which caused something to fall out. Shock appeared on his face when he bent down and grabbed his pendant. He had been missing this for weeks… and Sakura's had it this whole time? Surprisingly he wasn't angry about this newfound information and that confused him. Of course he figured out why without having to really dwell on those thoughts.

He knew how Sakura was, and he figured she probably found it, then she decided to keep it safe for him. Placing it back in the spot he found it, he made sure the book was back exactly how it was before he went into her office.

"Gaara?"

Hearing his name caused him to turn around and meet Sakura who was standing in the doorway. "I brought you food. You said you may not be able to eat dinner, so I figured…"

"That's sweet of you." She said, interrupting him before he could speak again, "Do you want to stay here and eat with me?"

Gaara gave her a nod and sat down to eat with her. He noticed her place her book inside of her drawer, but he was thinking of the pendant she had used as a bookmark. He knew his mother gave it to him because she loved him and wanted him to have her in his memory.

But he figured his pendant was better off with Sakura. It was almost like he was handing the pinkette a piece of his heart. Of course, he ignored those notions and focused on the girl who gave him a smile, causing him to forget what he was thinking about.

* * *

Sakura stared at the pendant that was in her grasp, and knew that she had been holding onto it for far too long. Since Gaara brought her food, he's been on her mind. Shouldn't she give him the pendant he has probably been worried about? She felt guilty. He's been nothing but nice to her and here she was holding onto a valuable possession of his.

"Sakura?"

She looked up once her name was called, and noticed Ino standing in the doorway. She looked nervous, though before Sakura could ask; Ino already started to explain why she was there. "I think I'm pregnant and I came here to do the blood tests."

"So why do you look nervous? I figured you would be happy."

Ino started to push her fingers together, kind of like Hinata who usually did when she was around her crush. "Kankuro and I just got married last month. Why would we want to get pregnant right away?"

Sakura stood up and moved towards her, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ino, what's the real reason?"

The blond sighed, "Kankuro said he didn't want to have kids, so I've been on birth control for as long as I can remember. But I am two weeks late…"

"You don't need to do the blood test, you can take a pregnancy test instead, you know that right?" Sakura asked before wrapping her in a hug when she started to cry. She didn't like seeing her best friend so worn down. Ino was headstrong and not an emotional woman.

"I'm just worried he would want to divorce me or something. I know it's crazy, but I can't help those feelings that rise in my chest."

Sakura pulled away and gave her a soft smile, "I don't think he'd do that to you Ino. He may just not want kids now, but fate obviously has other things to say about it."

It was enough to calm Ino down and when she escorted her to a separate room, they did both tests. Sakura waited patiently for Ino to return with a urine sample and she used the test. When a few minutes passed, Sakura glanced at the stick and handed it to Ino. "… It's positive."

"It could be faulty. The blood tests will return in at least a few days, so we'll know for sure by then. Don't worry Ino, I'm sure he'll be happy." She wrapped the girl in a hug again and waved to her once she left. Sakura felt her heart drop in the lowest part of her stomach as she realized her best friend was moving on with her life. Where did that leave Sakura? … _Alone_. It left her alone.

Sakura returned to her office and finished the rest of her paperwork. When she was done, she clocked out and headed home, a million thoughts whirling around in her mind. She knew she had a dream of being a doctor and a man just had to be on the backburner, but she still felt incomplete. Most of her friends were moving forward and she was still single.

She knew Tenten had a crush on Lee, a martial artist instructor. She wasn't sure if they ever went out on a date, but she also knew that the brunette wasn't afraid to make a move. Hinata has never discussed who she likes now, but it's definitely someone she works with.

Once she was home, she showered and changed into her pajamas, shuffling through the T.V. as she brought out her book. She opened to the page she last left off with and stared at the pendant. Sakura felt like a schoolgirl with holding this pendant away from Gaara. She knew it would be a good thing to give it back, but something stopped her from doing it.

"Akemi, what do you think I should do?" She looked towards her kitten which settled itself right next to her on the couch, and sighed softly. "I'll give it back to him this weekend. He'll probably be angry that I've held onto it for so long, but I can just explain how busy I am with work. He surprised me with food and saw all the papers in my office, so it's believable."

Akemi meowed in response which caused the pinkette to giggle. "You have no idea what I'm saying. Maybe I should talk about this with Ino, but all she'll try to do is set me up with him." But would that be a bad thing? Sakura looked away from Akemi and went back to being distracted by her book which suddenly didn't seem as interesting as it was before. Her mind began to wander about a life she could have if she abandoned the career she's chosen.

She knew she could have both, but a lot of guys wouldn't be able to stand her schedule or deal with her dreams which take up most of her time. She's went on dates and when she ignored them, they grew angry. Luckily Morio hasn't taken any drastic steps when she told him to buzz off. He's sent apology flowers, but she honestly didn't care.

Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her pink hair. She would have to ask Ino about all of this because she felt like she was losing her mind. Then again, her best friend was having troubles of her own. She decided against it. She would have to figure this out by herself. There was nothing wrong with that right?

Her heart told her yes, but her mind told her no. This showed her that she was at a crossroad, and she had no idea which direction to take.


	9. Chapter 9

"Ino, you have to tell him. You're going to kill yourself otherwise." Sakura stated to her best friend who held the lab results in her hands; which were shaking. The pinkette didn't know why Ino was so afraid, but she figured it was because Kankuro said he didn't want kids. That didn't mean forever… right? Unless he said he _never_ wanted kids, which isn't what Ino told her.

Ino sighed and placed the papers on the desk, "I may just have to get rid of it."

"Are you serious?! Ino, I could understand—"

The blond gave her a small frown, and simply shook her head when tears started to spill over her cheeks. "I wouldn't do that Sakura, but I'm afraid it'll ruin our relationship."

Sakura felt a sigh of relief escape her lips, and she placed a hand on her shoulder; "If it's meant to be, then it won't matter Ino. I highly doubt he would divorce you because you ended up pregnant." Considering the blond was on birth control, Sakura figured it was supposed to happen this way. Birth control isn't 99 percent effective regardless.

She wiped her cheeks, "I'll tell him tonight and let you know how it goes. Thanks Sakura." Ino pulled the other woman in for a hug, and ended up leaving her afterwards. Sakura watched her back before sighing herself, while running a hand through her pink locks.

Perhaps she was being ridiculous. Should she call Morio again and tell him everything is okay, that she wanted to try another date? Her heart pounded slightly in her chest when her mind told her that isn't the person she wanted to date. Sakura knew her mind was right, but that didn't mean she wanted to admit it.

Shaking her head, she moved back to her office and paused her movements when she noticed the red head she had been thinking about was leaning against the wall next to her door. Her heart started to pound again when several scenarios of why he was there appeared in her mind: What was he doing there? Why was he there? Did he know she had the pendant?

When he looked at her, she swallowed lightly at the intense look in his jade green hues that seemed to pierce through her. "I brought you lunch." He stated, holding the bags he held in his hands up so she could see them. It was from her favorite place. The last time he brought her dinner, it was from some restaurant she never heard of; but she enjoyed it. She told him most of what she liked afterwards though.

"T-that's very kind of you." _Why?_ She wanted to ask, but couldn't find her voice when she tried.

Gaara chuckled softly, and she realized she had only heard him do that maybe three times; which made the sound even more special. "I figured you were too busy like you usually are to grab something. I was coming this way, so I figured I would help you out."

She felt her cheeks heat up, but she tried to shake it away before he could see it. She hasn't acted like this in a long time. She remembered when she was younger, and she had a huge crush on Sasuke Uchiha; one of the heartthrobs in her high school. This is exactly how she acted around him. He was a grade A asshole though.

"Thanks, it means a lot." She unlocked her office door and led him inside, stopping when she noticed her book on her desk. She paused and nearly had Gaara smack into her. "Um, Gaara." She reached forward and opened her book; grabbing the pendant from inside.

Gaara did not react when she brought it out, and he simply kept his eyes on her. It made her feel more nervous than she initially wanted to be. "You dropped your pendant at the wedding. I know it's been a while since then, but I kept forgetting to give it to you." Her voice started to waver, and she mentally cursed herself. That's how people would know she was lying. The good thing was; Gaara wouldn't know since she's never technically lied to him before.

He reached forward and took it from her grasp; his fingers brushing lightly against her flesh. "Thank you." Gaara had no intention of taking it back, but he couldn't really deny it from her, now could he? Perhaps he could slip it into her bag or something.

"You're welcome. I know you might be angry—"

"Do I look angry?" He interjected, tilting his head lightly as he asked.

Sakura could practically feel her heart pounding through her chest, and almost wondered if it would push through her ribcage. "No, you don't… but… I just…" She trailed off, and had absolutely no idea on how to react to this whole situation. Since she's known him, she hasn't really seen him show much emotion at all; so, when he did, she enjoyed what she could get. "Never mind, it's stupid."

Gaara nearly chuckled, but he simply shook his head and sat down in the other chair. Opening the bags, he handed her the thing he ordered for her, and grabbed his own food. Cracking his chopsticks in half, he began to eat. A part of him wasn't sure why he came out there to give her food, but a little voice in the back of his head stated it was just because he wanted to see her.

The pinkette started to eat as well, a comfortable silence passing over the two of them. Once she was halfway done, a knock came to her door and she looked up to see Tsunade standing there. Her mentor looked surprised at first, but then a small smirk appeared on her lips. "Sorry to intrude, but I need you in Exam Room 3 Sakura."

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment, and stood up once she regained her composure. "Sorry Gaara, I guess I need to go with my mentor. I'll see you later though?"

"Text me." Gaara stood and grabbed his remains; watching her leave afterwards. Once he assumed she was completely gone, he stuck the pendant back into her book. 'I hope you know why I am giving this to her, mother. _'_ He thought this to himself as he looked up at the ceiling.

There were risks when he left it, but he figured there was no better place for his pendant to be.

* * *

Gaara stared at his laptop in annoyance. He had it approaching its end, but he wasn't sure how to make it appropriate. He shut it, and leaned back on his couch; staring straight up at the ceiling. He wondered if he could somehow ask Sakura without revealing his identity.

He sighed and closed his eyes. His insomnia had returned, and was worse than ever, but he tried to play it off often. Perhaps he should meet with his doctor again because he was feeling exhausted constantly. Just as soon as he was starting to drift off to sleep, his phone rang and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked at the caller ID before answering it; "What do you want Kankuro?"

Kankuro chuckled on the other end, _"Why are you so hostile? Can't a brother just call?"_

"No."

" _Well fine, I am calling because I wanted to tell you that Ino's pregnant."_

Gaara was silent for a moment, obviously not expecting that in the least. "… I suspect congratulations are in order." He stated softly, feeling a bit strange. He suddenly felt envious of Kankuro, though he wasn't particularly sure why. His mind jumped back to Sakura, whom he had seen earlier that day because he brought her something to eat. He also placed his pendant back into the book.

Shaking his head, he made sure he was listening to Kankuro when he spoke again. _"I don't know, I guess I am sort of nervous about this whole situation. She was highly upset, crying and telling me she was afraid I was going to leave."_

"Are you?" Gaara asked, recalling a conversation they had about kids a few years prior. Kankuro was adamant about not really wanting kids, though Gaara wasn't sure if he changed his mind or not.

" _No, why the hell-? Oh…right, I told her I didn't want kids but I didn't mean forever. I just figured it wouldn't be the right time. I suppose Kami had other plans."_

That caused Gaara to chuckle lightly, "Well, I am glad you guys are alright. You do not deserve heartbreak."

Kankuro didn't respond right away, and it seemed like that because he was startled with Gaara's words. He always figured his little brother did not care for the blond, but that didn't mean he didn't want Kankuro to have any happiness. "Thanks, I figured I'd tell you before Temari. She's going to have a field day with this one."

They spoke for a few more minutes before they hung up, and Gaara stared at his phone blankly once Kankuro was no longer on the other end. He looked at his laptop again, before eventually standing up, and moving out of his apartment once he grabbed his coat. Getting into his car, he drove to the park, and moved towards one of the picnic tables in the middle after he arrived.

Sitting down, he placed his hands into his pockets and stared up at the moon. So, his older brother was having a baby, and his older sister already had one. He pursed his lips into a fine line and wondered about his own life. Would he ever have the pleasure of being with a woman? Holding her hand, nuzzling her hair, and kissing her at night when they share intimate moments in bed…

He looked down at his hand when he brought it out of his coat, and he wondered how it would feel. Would someone look at him like Ino looks at Kankuro? How Shikamaru looks at Temari? With a soft sigh, he moved back to look up at the moon again; his mind racing with a million thoughts.

Going back to thinking on Sakura, he realized he held her the night of the wedding. He could feel her heartbeat, and her heat. She practically felt like a heater now that he thought about it. Closing his eyes, he recalled what he felt in that moment, and wondered if this was what love could feel like. Is this what Temari stated when she described what Shikamaru has done for her?

'Actions…' He thought to himself. 'What kind of actions would Sakura make if she was trying to show someone she liked them?' Gaara thought back to their previous conversations, and how they were around one another. He knew his eyes lingered on her longer than they should, and he could tell how she regarded him with smiles even when she thought he wasn't looking at her.

Sometimes her cheeks would heat up from the moment, and she would seem shy. Considering he had just met her a few weeks ago, he thought of her as someone who was headstrong; outgoing; and not shy in the least. If she was unable to be in front of others and cannot handle certain stressful situations, she would not be a nurse.

So, were her actions towards him normal? He recalled the night he saw her with that other male, and noticed how she looked. She seemed reserved and closed off, which meant she was not comfortable with the situation she was in, and she was barely paying the other guy any mind. Every time they spoke, she was looking him in the eye, and her lips caressed a smile.

Gaara tried his best to make sure that smile never disappeared from her face. He was not a normal man; for he was not used to social interaction with female's other than his older sister. He had never kissed someone or held their hand. He's never even felt love for another person which could be viewed as romantically.

Grabbing his phone out of his pocket, he opened it up and went to his photos. Once he came across the one of Sakura he snatched when she was in the hospital, he felt his heart speed up just a small fraction. She was not aware of him taking the photo, but he wasn't doing it in a stalkerish manner. Her emerald hues were focused on her desk; and her pink hair framed her face almost angelically.

'Why do I feel so connected with you?' Gaara brushed his fingers over the screen before he closed his eyes again. The cold air barely bothered him as he sat there lost in his thoughts; Sakura taking over most of what he was thinking about. He finally remembered saving her from those bullies, and the initial judgement of her when she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

He had never been nice to anyone much in his life, but that was the moment he found himself wanting to be everything those old fairytales deemed a hero to be. Gaara was not a prince charming, though she had looked at him like he was. He couldn't believe he had forgotten about the pinkette and that moment, but he was glad Temari recalled this memory.

Perhaps this was what he needed. Perhaps _she_ was what he needed. Reopening his eyes, he leaned back on the table and kept his focus up on the moon which stared back at him. For the first time in his life, he realized he was not lost. This is exactly where he needed to be.


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: I wanna say thanks to my loyal readers. You guys are great. I had to skip ahead some in the story. We **are** nearing the end though! Hope you like this chapter._

* * *

 _Two Months Later…_

His deadline was approaching, and it was coming on him fast. The ending was still something he was struggling with, even though he was trying his best to come up with a way to end the war. Kiyoshi and his lover were inseparable, which helped him imagine what his own love life could look like. Of course, he was only exaggerating since he's never looked at a woman like that.

At least…

Until she came into play.

Gaara turned and looked towards the female who was on his couch; asleep. Their story almost reflected with Kiyoshi and Suzuki; which was rather obvious now that he thought about it. Kiyoshi Sasaki may have his mother's initials but the male was reflected on himself, and Suzuki… well, she was exactly like Sakura. Kindhearted, strong, and willing to help others without hope of reward.

Because that's how she was. She was a nurse and never once told others of her achievements. He wasn't sure how many lives she has saved, but he figured that didn't really matter in this case. Shaking his head, he turned away from the pinkette and focused on the cars moving on the street down below. Gaara released a soft sigh as his thoughts carried away with him.

"Are you okay?" He heard a light mumble, which caused him to look at her again. Sakura was awake, rubbing her eyes and trying to shake the sleepiness away from herself.

It almost made Gaara smile. "I am. Did you have a good nap?"

Sakura snorted, "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I was on night shift, what do you expect!?" She huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms; puffing her cheeks out in embarrassment. That caused Gaara to chuckle and simply shake his head as he looked back out of his window.

Their friendship had blossomed, and they spent a lot of time together since the wedding. Most days she was at the hospital, he would bring her some food, and she would return the favor by popping up at his apartment unannounced with his favorite cheesecake. It seemed like they were friends for years instead of only three months.

He still hadn't asked her if she remembered that he saved her from those bullies. Gaara figured that was one part of their life that mattered, but it didn't have to be spoken about. Their connection came without need of others pushing them together, and he was happy with how things were turning out. Even if she just remained his friend for the rest of his days.

Sakura stood up and made her way over to him, standing next to him by his windows. The cold December air seemed ruthless when compared to the heat of the apartment. She was glad they were indoors instead. "What are you thinking about?"

Gaara looked at her for a moment; their eyes locking on each other. "About… nothing really to be honest." He decided to say, knowing he couldn't quite tell her he was the author of her favorite books. What if she looked at him like the writer instead of himself? He didn't think that would happen, but he had to be cautious. He's been betrayed before.

"You're a sucky liar." She nudged him teasingly and looked down at the cars. "I wonder where everyone is going in such a hurry."

Gaara crossed his arms, "It is nearing Christmas time, so I suspect they are running around trying to buy gifts." He had bought Sakura something, but he wasn't sure how she would take it considering they were only friends at this point.

Sakura giggled, "Touché." She hadn't thought about Christmas, but mostly because she was more than likely going to be working that night. That almost annoyed her, though a part of her was glad for it. Her parents didn't live in the same area, so the only people she could spend time with was probably Ino. The blond was preparing herself for her baby, which meant they barely saw one another anymore.

"Where is your mind?"

The pinkette looked up at Gaara who had his eyes narrowed on her form, and it made her cheeks redden slightly in embarrassment. "Just about Ino and her life moving forward in ways I didn't see possible. I am happy for her, but… I guess I feel lonely."

Gaara understood what she meant, and it caused him to sigh softly. "My siblings have the same thing. There is always a moment where I wonder if I will ever have something like what they have." His voice seemed to quiver a bit, but he held his composure easily. His expression never changed from neutral, though he could tell Sakura was still looking at him.

With her eyes wavering, she searched his face, and felt her heartbeat speed up a little. In that moment, she knew she had something to say; but no words formed, and she found herself just getting lost with the way his eyes seemed. She always knew his expression was sad, but she could tell how lonely and broken he truly was. A part of her wondered why she didn't notice it before.

When he turned to look at her, she was already looking out the window again. But then their eyes met once more; and they held that gaze, until they both turned away. To outsiders, their glances would seem awkward, but Sakura knew exactly what she was doing. She wasn't sure what Gaara thought, but she didn't have the courage to ask him regardless.

Sakura decided to move away from the window and tripped over the coffee table, which caused Gaara to reach out; grabbing her wrist so she wouldn't fall over. His attempts failed, and they both tumbled to the floor; laying right next to one another. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, "You have been in here how many times and you choose to fall _now_?"

The pinkette stuck her tongue out at him and changed her position so she was laying on her side. "I didn't mean to… I was just distracted." She muttered, giving him a slight glare. When her emerald hues caught his, she became painfully aware of how close they were. Her mouth parted slightly in surprise, and she swallowed; watching breathlessly as he leaned towards her.

Gaara reached up and brushed something out of her hair, and she swore her heart was in her throat. "I need to vacuum. You have stuff in your hair from falling on your face."

Sakura made an annoyed face and smacked his hand away, standing up and dusting herself off. Leave it to Gaara to ruin a perfectly good moment they were having. Why was she even interested in this idiot anyway? It isn't like he had any experience with women! Perhaps she needed to stop being so worried about her love life-

"Sakura." She turned her head when he called her name, and noticed he was standing close to her again; but this time his hand was hovering over her cheek. The warmth of his fingertips ghosted over her skin and she tensed, obviously unsure as to what she should do now. He was in the same boat because confusion crossed over his face. He seemed hesitant in his actions.

Sakura placed her hand over his and pushed it so he was caressing her cheek a little more fully, which caused him to give her a surprised look. He probably didn't expect her to do that, but she wanted him to be courageous in what he was doing. She wanted to be courageous. Her mind told her to back away and leave, but her heart urged her on. Wasn't this something they both wanted?

Gaara brushed his thumb over her cheek; hesitating; experimenting; and watching. He waited patiently to see if she would push him away, but _she_ was the one who _made_ him touch her. Well, she didn't make him, but she helped him move forward in the next step he obviously wanted to do.

"Gaara… I…"

He allowed his thumb to touch her lips, which caused her to part them again; though he hushed her at this point. Perhaps there wasn't anything that they needed to say. Their actions should do the talking right now.

They were captivated. He seemed to study the way she inhaled, and how she reacted to his touches; and all she could do was inhale sharply from the feelings of his hands. He was cradling her like she could break any moment. Maybe she could, hell she didn't even know.

Just as he began to lean forward, a loud noise from downstairs snapped them out of their thoughts; nearly scaring them half to death. He retracted his hand, and she almost whimpered from not feeling his hands anymore.

Sakura knew the spell was broken, and it almost caused her to sigh. Maybe that was the universe stating that they couldn't be together. The pinkette wouldn't know since she was stupid when it came to the acts of love and everything with it.

"What time do you need to get to work?" Gaara asked, which caused her attention to snap back to him.

She ran a hand through her pink hair, "In about an hour." Sakura said, after glancing at the clock to make sure she wouldn't end up running late. There were moments when she would go to his apartment and nap once she was done with her shift, which was surprising enough. He didn't trust many people with keys to where he lived. The only people that had access was his siblings.

"Then I will take you."

* * *

Sakura kept her eyes on the ceiling as she threw a ball in the air; barely paying much attention as she tossed it; though she caught it every time. Her thoughts were clouded, and a million things were running around, nearly causing her head to hurt. Ever since that moment with Gaara in his apartment, he seemed to be avoiding her.

That was starting to hurt her as well.

Maybe she was reading him all wrong, and he wasn't interested in her to begin with. Ever since they met, she found herself drawn to him, but he was always a closed book. He never shared anything too personal, and there were moments where he changed the subject when she asked him something about his childhood.

Catching the ball again, she sighed, and closed her eyes. When Akemi brushed against her cheek, the pinkette giggled, and looked at her kitten with a soft smile. "Akemi, are you worried for me again?" She ran her hands through her black fur; snuggling into her as she did so. Her career had always been her focus, but ever since meeting Gaara, all those dreams seemed jumbled.

"Akemi, your mommy is so confused." Akemi mewed in response, and that caused her to giggle again; opening her eyes so she could meet her kitten's yellow hues. Akemi was giving her a stare which almost made Sakura grimace with how judging her eyes seem to be. Sakura looked away and sat up; sighing softly.

"I know what you're thinking. That I should go confess my love to some dude that may not even know what the hell love is." Sakura pulled her knees into her chest and rested her chin on them; almost poking out her bottom lip as she debated her options. "I mean we haven't known each other very long. Why would he feel anything for me anyway?"

Akemi sat down next to her and nudged her with her head, causing the pinkette to look in her direction. "You think I'm stupid, don't you?" Sakura rubbed her head gently and moved away, placing her feet on the floor next to her bed. She decided to go home that night after her shift. Gaara didn't text her anyway, so she figured he was busy.

Shaking her head, she stood and moved towards her desk which sat next to her window. A calendar was posted to the wall so she could keep up with her schedule, and she noticed she _wasn't_ working Christmas. She felt relieved for that.

Sakura was so distracted by reading her calendar, she barely noticed when she leaned over her desk, and caused her book to fall. It made her jump a little and bend so she could pick it up. What she didn't expect was Gaara's pendant to fall out of the pages as well. Surprise settled on her features, and she seemed confused for a second.

Didn't she give this back to him? She thought back to her hospital shifts, and remembered giving this back to him. So why did she have it again? She turned it over and ran her fingers over the design, before realization dawned on her.

Gaara had to have placed the pendant back into her book! There was no other explanation! Why else would she have his pendant again after she gave it back to him? This newfound information caused her heartbeat to speed up. He felt something for her then… _right_? This had to mean more than just him "accidently" losing it again or something!

Sakura quickly grabbed her keys and threw on her coat; making sure everything was locked up before she left. She was going to ask Gaara what this meant. She looked down at the pendant in her hand, and drove in the direction of Gaara's apartment. She didn't care how late it was, he _was_ going to tell her what this meant.

Even if she had to pry the information out of him. She _will_ know.


	11. Chapter 11

"Gaara!" Sakura banged on the door to his apartment, frowning a moment when she realized it was late at night… which meant he might not be able to answer it. A light growl of annoyance escaped her lips as she placed her hands on her hips. They haven't seen one another in about a week or so, and she wasn't sure if he was avoiding her on purpose, so this whole situation was annoying.

She banged on the door again, "Gaara Sabaku if you don't open this damn door-!"

When she lifted her fist to hit it again, the door opened and she flew forwards slightly; nearly falling into his chest. Sakura straightened herself out and dusted herself off before looking at him curiously. His hair was disheveled and he wasn't wearing a shirt. Oh… he… wasn't…

Sakura felt her cheeks light up in embarrassment. "Er… I didn't know you would be sleeping." She mumbled this, obviously not wanting to even admit what she had done was wrong. Most of the time Gaara didn't sleep, so the fact that she ruined his chances, well… it made her feel bad.

Gaara blinked; "It's around one in the morning, what the hell _else_ would I be doing woman?"

She huffed in frustration, "I don't know! Writing for your forum?!" She almost wanted to smack him in the face for making her feel this way, but she _did_ wake him up so she couldn't do that. Sakura was already embarrassed enough seeing him half-naked.

"If you wanted to complain about me being asleep, can we do it some other time?" He rubbed his eyes and it made her sigh. Before she could say anything, he yawned. "What do you want?"

His tone hurt her feelings. "I needed to ask you something."

"And that couldn't wait until the morning?"

Sakura pushed him backwards, brushing past him so she could situate herself in his apartment. Gaara sighed and shut the door, moving towards the living room which is where she placed herself at. She turned towards him, holding up the pendant. A look of surprise appeared on his face when realization dawned on him.

"Why was this back in my book? I swore I gave it back to you."

Gaara was eerily quiet, which was unusual… even for _him_. "It must have fallen back in."

She gave him a look of disbelief, "Are you for real? It must have _fallen_ back in?" Sakura stalked towards him and that made Gaara feel painfully exposed. "Why did you put it back in my book Gaara? Isn't this important to you?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, "You were using it as a bookmark, why wouldn't I place it back?"

Sakura's mouth opened and closed, as if she was trying to decipher his stupidity for a moment. "Gaara… I swear to…" She sighed and rubbed her temples in frustration; "You mean to tell me _this_ doesn't have a deeper meaning?" When she said 'this', she held the pendant up higher as if to prove her point even further.

"No, it doesn't." His tone was unusually harsh with her for the first time since he's known her. He could see the look of hurt behind her eyes, which made him frown intensely. Tears began to slide down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth to try and keep herself from crying, though it wasn't working well enough.

"So, you sticking the pendant back into my book meant nothing? _I_ mean nothing to you?"

Gaara reached out towards her, though his hand remained immobile in the air. Luckily, she had her eyes closed so she wouldn't see his attempts fail as he placed his hand back down to his side. When she looked at him again, he was already glancing away… like the coward he was. "You mean…" He paused, "More to me than you know Sakura."

Sakura moved towards him again, slowly this time; "Then tell me the truth Gaara."

When she stopped in front of him, he felt himself inhale sharply at her scent. "Sakura there is nothing more to what I told you. I didn't want you to feel bad about it, so I stuck it back in your book."

A light laugh released from her lips, "You must think I am an absolute moron to believe that. First it was it may have fallen in, to you placing it back as a bookmark for me, and now it's you didn't want me to feel bad about it? Gaara are you afraid to tell me what you truly think?"

Gaara shook his head and moved away from her, heading towards the his windows so he could stare down at the bustling city below them; "It meant nothing Sakura."

He didn't need to look at her to tell she was crying again, knowing his words upset her. Gaara knew he felt something for her, but this was too fast, wasn't it? They barely knew each other…

"That's it then?" Her voice was shaky but she didn't sound like she was crying. When he turned to look at her, he could see the hurt; betrayal; and anger hidden behind those emerald hues he came to adore. Sakura took the pendant and moved towards him, thrusting it into his hands. "Here. Since you wish to be a coward."

Her eyes met his own and he growled in response, "You know what? Fine, I _am_ a coward. Do you wish to understand how I feel? Take a good look. I have been alone all my life, and you wish to assume you know who I am? You don't know me Sakura Haruno; in fact, you barely know me at all."

Those words caused her eyes to waver, and she looked down at the floor. "You're right. I don't know you. Every time I ask, you shut me out, and I know you're afraid Gaara. But isn't that how you know you're on the way to something real?"

Gaara realized she did not let go of his hand, which caused him to glance away from her for a moment. "Sakura… I can't."

Her hand moved towards his cheek, and she forced him to look at her; "Gaara… allow me to rescue you from your loneliness like you did for me all those years ago from those bullies."

"You remembered?"

"Yes." She swallowed slightly when she felt his breath on her lips. She could tell he wasn't sure of his actions, and he was nervous with what he was doing in that moment. Hell, Sakura was more nervous than she ever imagined she could be. It reminded her of that time she confessed her 'love' for Sasuke, though that didn't mean much to her… not like this.

Gaara's lips brushed hers lightly; "I… can't." He was too afraid for her. Too afraid for _him_. He was a broken shell, a man who would barely know how to love her like she deserved. She didn't need to be around someone like that; though he figured she would have left by now if she truly found him to be a lost cause.

Sakura's hold on him tightened and she bent her head so their lips weren't touching as much as they were beforehand. "Gaara… you… I don't…" Her words didn't make sense. He could tell she was hurting, but there wasn't much she could say to him to make him decide he wanted her instead of this loneliness he placed himself in.

She shook her head and pulled away, moving so she could start for the door. "Thank you for your answer, despite how painful it was." She wasn't sure what she could do at this point, and she was tired of crying; even if she hadn't been doing it long. Perhaps she was just a fool for thinking this meant something more to him.

When she left his apartment, he stared at the door, and looked around at the walls that started to close in around him. For the first time, the silence that usually comforted the red head now only suffocated him.

* * *

"You have been holed up in this apartment for days Sakura. Get your ass out here." Ino yelled as she banged on the door, though the next attempt was stopped by Tenten who held onto her wrist.

A soft sigh came from the brunette, "Perhaps we give her time. We don't even know what happened…" Though that wasn't entirely the case. She knew the pinkette called Ino and left an indelicate voicemail about what transpired between her and Gaara that night. Tenten was always the logical one, wishing to hear both sides to every story before deciding on who was right.

Ino growled and placed her hands on her hips, "I don't give a rat's ass if we don't have _every_ detail from that bastard of a redhead who hurt my best friend." She turned towards the door again and yelled, "Sakura either I am going in _there_ or I am going to find Gaara! It's your choice!"

With a momentary pause, the blond finally heard the door beginning to unlock, but what the sight was… well, it wasn't something Ino thought she would ever see. Sakura was _drunk_. At ten in the morning.

She was taken aback for a moment and glanced at Tenten who was just as surprised as she was. "Sakura… you're drunk. Why the hell are you drunk!? Don't you have work tonight?"

As she took in her best friend's appearance, she frowned. The pinkette's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were half-lidded, while she held onto a beer bottle in her hand. She didn't even like beer! She also smelled like a brewery so there was that too.

"I am on leave from the hospital now. I can do whatever the fuck I want." She slurred, and nearly fell over. Ino felt her lips purse into a fine line. This was as bad as her confession to Sasuke, but at that time, they were teenagers and all she could do was lock herself in her room. Now she was locked in her apartment and drunk to the point where Ino was sure she couldn't even tell who was standing in front of her.

"Your banging is **loud** ; do you mind going away? I have some movies to finish."

Being pregnant, Ino didn't have the upper hand, but luckily Tenten was there with her. Tenten pushed the pinkette into the apartment and waited until Ino was inside before she slammed the door closed. Her eyes widened at the amount of mess the apartment was in as well, but she didn't have time to care about that. She grabbed the bottle from Sakura who grumbled in protest, and simply poured the rest of it out.

"Hey! I paid for that!"

Tenten growled, "And you'll pay for more if you don't stop being stupid." She turned towards the girl who was barely able to stand on her own, "I never thought I'd see the day when Sakura Haruno turned pathetic over some guy."

Sakura leaned on the wall and slid down, moving to hold her knees close to her chest. "It's not just some guy." She said barely above a whisper, and this was when the two women calmed themselves down. It wasn't the time to scold her when what she truly needed were friends to be there for her.

The brunette kneeled next to her, "I don't get this. You and Gaara didn't even talk that long."

Ino placed a hand on her shoulder and simply shook her head when Tenten glanced back at her. "Don't you remember in high school when you had a huge crush on Hinata's cousin Neji, and when he turned you down, you became a mess? This is the same concept."

Who could forget that day? Tenten had confessed her feelings for Neji in front of the entire cafeteria. Neji looked uncomfortable and quietly said he didn't feel the same. Tenten felt so broken, and couldn't look at another guy in any way until she met Lee a few years ago. She and Lee had gone out a couple of times, and knew this thing she felt with Gaara was real; despite the short time.

"You're right…" Tenten muttered softly.

Sakura whimpered and wiped her eyes after she looked at them again. "Call it obsession, love, or lust. Whatever you guys want. I know how I feel even if we haven't known one another long. When I am with him, time doesn't matter because it's _now_. We're here _now_ and that's what we focus on."

Ino sat down next to her best friend and wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer. "I think Gaara has feelings for you Sakura. He just… he doesn't know how to express them. I discussed this with his brother and Kankuro says the same thing. Gaara grew up in a complicated home, and he's never even looked in the direction of girls. Until you."

Sakura chuckled and wiped her eyes, "When you put it that way, it sounds cliché."

"Maybe it is, who cares? Gaara danced with you at my wedding and does plenty of things that shows a man who adores a woman, but he doesn't understand it."

Sakura rubbed her eyes sleepily and knew Ino was right, but for some reason, it didn't help the pain in her chest. "Maybe I _am_ pathetic. I couldn't help myself… I felt… so strongly for him." Tenten moved to sit on the other side of her and the two girls held the pinkette close. Sakura realized even in her pain, having friends by her side helped ease that pain… even if it was short-lived.

After her visit with Sakura, she parted ways with Tenten and headed in the direction of Gaara's apartment. "You are _dead_ Sabaku." Ino growled once she was inside and banging on the door even louder than she had when she was with Sakura. After they held onto the girl for a while, Sakura eventually sobered up and they all ate ice cream in their pajamas. It was something they did when Sakura was rejected by Sasuke, when Tenten was rejected by Neji, and even when Ino was denied by Sasuke. It felt good to be with her two friends.

Now she had a plan. She had to figure out a way to get these idiots together, otherwise neither one of them would make the damn move.

She knocked on it again until she heard a mumbled, "Go the fuck away" on the other side of the door. She frowned and kicked it, "You either open this door or I tear it down and you know me Sabaku, I will rip it right from its hinges." She was exaggerating of course. She was pregnant, there wasn't much she could do in this situation. Perhaps she should have had Kankuro come with her.

Gaara sighed, defeated, and opened it. Now Ino hadn't seen the male in a long time and was amazed to see his appearance look as bad as Sakura's. Why did she have to _always_ deal with morons? "Wow your eyes look sunken in as much as they were when I saw you a while ago." She couldn't remember when it was, so she wasn't entirely sure how long it truly has been.

"Are you here to insult my appearance? Otherwise we can do it when I see you at the dinner at your house next weekend."

Ino snorted before slamming her hand against the door when he tried to shut it in front of her face. "Do you realize Sakura is as bad off as you?"

For a moment she could see his eyes flicker with something, but she couldn't tell what it was. "Is that my problem?" Ino knew he wasn't wrong since it technically _wasn't_ his problem, but he was the one who caused it, and he would fix it.

"How about you stop being an asshole and realize what you did was wrong? I may not know you well enough Gaara, but with Kankuro being your brother, I think I have a good idea. You care for Sakura, why don't you _just_ be with her already?"

His anger exploded, "I have nothing to say to you because it's none of your fucking business in the first-place woman."

When Ino nearly threw him backwards, he was shocked, mostly because he didn't know her strength. She stalked forward and pushed her finger into his chest, "It became my business when you broke my best friend's heart. Fine, you want to be pathetic then stay here and be alone." She straightened herself out and wiped her outfit. "I suppose there's nothing I can do."

Her icy blue eyes, which were usually optimistic, held a sad look behind them. "We may not be close, but I want you happy just like her. I wish you could understand your feelings." She said this before leaving, not even bothering to close the door.

Gaara stepped towards it and was about to call after her when he realized she was gone and he was once again alone. He held his hand on the door and looked down before he closed it again. He headed into the living room which held his final novel. Looking at it, he took it off the coffee table, and briefly scanned the portion where he stated who he wrote it for.

Even though he was in the process of this novel before he met Sakura, he finished it because of her. 'To Sakura, the muse that allowed this book to even finish.' He pursed his lips into a fine line and flipped through the ending of the book, knowing he wrote down what he _wished_ he said to Sakura instead.

Kiyoshi had managed to tell his feelings to the girl who was there for him at the end of this book. Maybe that's all he could do. Maybe he could show her with this how he felt. Or was it too late? Gaara got dressed and managed to mail off the book towards Sakura's address, deciding it was something he could do. He realized she would know he lied to her about being a forum writer, but… maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

When he paid the man, and headed off in the direction of his own apartment; thoughts swirled in his mind on how she would take it. He even wrote a note to her that he left in one of the pages. He never revealed that he was the author, so this was a big step for him.

Gaara hoped it wasn't too late and hoped she would accept his apology. Though the only thing he could do was wait.


	12. Chapter 12

I know I am pretty late with this chapter. Luckily the next chapter is the last! Thanks for joining me on this journey.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay Sakura?"

The pinkette glanced up from her phone and noticed Hinata standing in front of her, a small smile gracing her lips. It caused her to chuckle as she shook her head lightly in amusement. "Of course, I am. It's been a few days. I wouldn't say I am over it, but I am doing better."

Hinata's smile faded and she frowned, "You should come out with me and Kiba."

'Kiba… so that's who she has a crush on?' This caused her to chuckle again. 'Interesting.' She didn't know Kiba well enough. She knew Hinata and Kiba worked together, but other than that, she knew nothing about the brunette other than what Ino would tell her. Kiba was a veterinarian and Hinata was one of the assistants who worked with Hana Inuzuka. She heard things about him being a player, but she wasn't worried about him hurting Hinata.

"Don't worry about me Hinata. You have fun with Kiba." Even though the ravenette looked reluctant, Sakura wouldn't budge with her feelings on the matter. She didn't want to ruin their little date, if one could call it such.

Once she left her, Sakura headed home, and locked her car doors when she arrived. When she headed towards the front door, her foot kicked something on the steps; which caused her to look down at it. Glancing around, she picked it up, and headed inside. Akemi was waiting at the door and purring, which caused Sakura to rub her neck once she noticed her. "Hey beautiful." She muttered before giving her kiss.

She made sure her door was locked and opened the box, which contained the third issue of her favorite novel. Surprise made its way to her face, and confusion settled on her features afterwards. This wasn't due until next month… why would she have it now?

Opening it up, she flipped through the pages and stopped when she noticed her name at the front of the book. 'To Sakura, the muse that allowed this book to even finish.' She didn't understand at first. It wasn't until realization dawned on her person and even when she glanced at the initials on the cover.

' _G.S.'_

' _Gaara Sabaku.'_

She was more confused that she ever thought a person could be in her life. So, he was the writer of this book…? Why didn't he tell her this? Sadness crept along her back and clouded her for a moment. After everything in his life, he never confided in her. She said he was writer for forums and that was nothing but a lie.

Then she got angry.

Throwing the book towards the nearest wall, she nearly jumped out of her skin when something slipped out of it and slid down the wall afterwards. Stalking towards it in irritation, she picked it up and realized it was a note that slipped out from the pages.

She pursed her lips into a fine line and decided to open the note, not really knowing what to expect from it. Was this Gaara's way of apologizing? Did that even matter though? He broke her heart and didn't even bother to fix it.

' _Sakura,_

 _By now you realize I am the author of your favorite books and I know it was wrong to lie about it. Perhaps I wished you would look at me like a normal person instead of the person who wrote three books. I am unsure if you will forgive me for my actions and how I hurt you, but I want you to know, there is more to the story than you think. Read the novel and if you still feel the same, please find me._

 _Gaara'_

Sakura almost laughed, but she found tears falling from her eyes before she could even stop herself. Why was he so afraid of her? Is he scared of getting hurt? She folded the paper back up and placed it on the nearest shelf before she grabbed the book off the floor. She flipped through the pages and sighed softly. She guessed she would have to read it to find out what he meant.

Akemi rubbed against Sakura's legs and she simply rubbed her head gently before moving to her bedroom, so she could change. After she showered and put on her pajamas, she began to read through the book; interest heavily seen behind her gaze as her emerald hues scanned the pages.

Luckily, she was off the next day, so she could probably read this before the night came to an end. As she read through it, she was surprised to see a love interest make her way into the story, and it made her blush. She remembered telling him that Kiyoshi needed someone there for him and he must have written it because she suggested it. That didn't make her any less angry though.

'Suki Hayashi… you're not even being subtle there.' She thought to herself as she giggled. Gaara must have based this character off her, which was surprising. She wasn't sure why he would do that…

She trailed off when realization dawned on her. Kiyoshi was pretty much like him and he wrote Suki like her… didn't that mean he truly liked her? Shaking her head, she looked away. It didn't matter anymore… right? Even though he said to find him after she finished the book, she wasn't sure if she could do this.

Sighing, she read into the morning time, and she was amazed with the ending. It reflected her when she went to him because he stuck the pendant back into her book. She placed it onto the coffee table next to her and started to chew on her lip. Was this his way of telling her all the things he _wished_ he would have said before she left?

Sakura grabbed Akemi and ran her hand through her fur. Before she knew it, she had been crying again and managed to cry herself to sleep. She was curled on the couch in her living room, and dreamed of things that made her tears disappear.

Gaara cared for her and this was how he told her… in his book, using Kiyoshi and Suki as their counterparts.

Despite the pain her heart, Sakura found herself wanting to find Gaara and smack him in the face for hurting her like that. Perhaps she would do it tomorrow. Who knows?

* * *

Gaara had eventually released the book to the public after checking with his publisher. She loved it, and he was glad that he was able to write Kiyoshi with a significant other without making it seem too rushed.

He sat in his favorite coffee shop and typed away at his computer, wondering if Sakura had gotten ahold of it. If she had, it would have been a couple of days, and maybe she didn't feel the same for him anymore. This thought caused him to pause his movements as he frowned, unsure if he could even continue his work.

Shaking his head, he looked up briefly and caught the eyes of some brown-haired girl who was giving him a sly smile. It made him uncomfortable, and he wasn't sure why she looked so familiar to him. Wait was that the same girl who bumped into him a few weeks ago? Or was it a month? He couldn't recall and that was mostly because he didn't care.

He glared in her direction and began typing at his computer again, pausing once more when he heard the chair in front of him move. He sighed and looked up to see that same girl in front of him. "Is there a reason you are bothering me?"

A frown appeared on her lips, "I just wanted to talk to you for a second."

"I am obviously busy, so whatever it is-"

"Gaara, do you honestly think I would let you get away that easily?" She took out his book and pushed it towards him, "You're my favorite author."

Gaara felt his heart stop for a moment. She knew who he was? How the hell…?

Matsuri grinned when she saw the panicked look on his face. "Oh, it's simple… you should really learn to pay off everyone in the publishing place you use. One of their employees told me."

His hand clenched into a fist, "And you are here to do what? Blackmail me?"

"I wouldn't consider this blackmail. I want you to take me on a date and become my boyfriend, otherwise I will let everyone know who you are."

Gaara couldn't hide his surprise even if he tried. Her words made him angry suddenly, but could he truly risk his identity? This is exactly the reason he didn't want Sakura to know who he truly was, and he realized how stupid he was for letting that go. Maybe he could tell this bitch that he had a girlfriend…? He wasn't sure about his options.

Before he could answer, she shrugged; "Here's my number, let me know your answer. If it's a no, your identity will go out to the public afterwards. I hope you make the right decision."

Matsuri left him then with her card and he was sitting there dumbfounded. Gaara growled and glared in the direction that the girl left in, which caused him to rub his forehead. He wasn't sure how he could go about this. Even if he reported it, the cops may not take him very seriously.

Would everyone knowing his identity be so bad though? Gaara leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest as he was unsure of what he was supposed to do now. Maybe he should talk to his siblings about this.

Without skipping a beat, Gaara texted his siblings and told them to meet him a restaurant nearby. Both answered and stated they would be there because of how urgent his message sounded. He didn't want anyone to know who he was, but he didn't want to date her either. He had feelings for Sakura… and he was a fool to let her leave.

He closed his laptop and stood, slinging the bag over his shoulder once he secured his computer in the right place.

Once he was at the restaurant, he got them a table, and waited for their arrival. When they both approached the table, he didn't budge from his spot, and stared up at them briefly. "Someone is blackmailing me."

He went ahead and told them the reason he was meeting with them. They had surprised looks on their faces and they weren't sure what to say. Before anyone else could speak, he ran his hands through his hair. "She will tell everyone I am the one who wrote the books if I do not date her."

Temari frowned in annoyance, obviously unsure how to take this information. "She does realize you have connections, right? We could _destroy_ her life."

"You are an author… despite that just being a creative type, you have friends in high places. If I need to call Pein—"

Gaara interjected before Kankuro could finish his sentence, "We will **not** get my father's business partners involved. If he trusted them, that means I don't."

His siblings looked at each other, obviously sharing disapproving stares. Kankuro knew what happened between Sakura and Gaara, but he knew his little brother better than that. He had feelings for the pinkette, why would he allow her to walk away so easily? And why would he allow this Matsuri girl a chance to even blackmail him? "… Tell the world who you are. It isn't that important you know."

Gaara pursed his lips into a fine line and leaned back against the booth, staring solemnly at the table. "That may be my only option. I do not… there is someone else I want."

"You want Sakura?"

The red head didn't even look at Temari and instead just nodded his head. She gave him a small smile and placed her hand over his, "Women don't fall out of love easily Gaara. Even if you hurt her."

Gaara glared at her, "I didn't just hurt her, I ripped out her heart and stomped on it like it was nothing."

Temari pulled back and sighed, "Then make it right. You may have used your book to communicate, but she needs to hear those words from _you_ Gaara. Not the book. Not Kiyoshi. But you."

She stood up and grabbed her purse, placing it over her shoulder. "I have to get going, but please contact me when you figure out what to do." Then she was gone. Gaara stared at the spot she left empty and ran his hands through his hair.

Kankuro frowned. "… Gaara, Sakura is just as messed up as you, and I know you know that because my wife visited you a few days ago to tell you how she was. If you wait too long, she can slip from your grasp."

Gaara knew he was right, but that didn't mean he wanted to admit. He and Kankuro sat there for a while, speaking on things that could distract the red head from losing his mind. Eventually they left and Gaara called his agent to tell him what was going on. He was going to inform everyone who he was.

He was _not_ going to let this brown-haired _child_ get in the way of him being with a woman he cared about. Nothing will stop him this time, not even his insecurities.

He just had to figure out the perfect time to make it up to her, and hope it wasn't too late for him.


	13. Chapter 13

Well, looks like this is the end of 'Something Missing'. I hope everyone enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I hope you like the ending. Thank you all for joining me. xoxox

* * *

" _Sakura turn your television to Iruka's late night show. It's on channel—"_

Sakura held a cup of tea in one hand while casually keeping the phone to her ear with her shoulder. She knew Ino had called her for a reason, but she was tired, and didn't feel like watching t.v. at that moment. Besides, she had a few things to do before she prepared herself for bed. Watching some late night t.v. show was _not_ one of them.

"Look Ino, I need to get ready for bed otherwise my alarm won't wake me in the morning."

She heard an irritable sigh come from the other end, though before Sakura could tell her goodnight, Ino suddenly yelled into the phone, _"Turn your damn television to the channel of Iruka's late night show or so help me I will come over there and kick your ass! Well… Tenten is closer, so you'll have to face her wrath instead! So just do it!"_

The pinkette sighed a bit in frustration. Why the hell was she so anal about this whole situation? Shaking her head, she moved to her t.v. and did as she was told. She moved to sit on her couch, placing her cup onto the coffee table, and dropped the phone as soon as the image of Gaara came into view. There was nothing but silence once she realized why Ino had pushed her into turning to this channel. She knew Gaara was going to be up there, speaking about himself… and his book.

" _So, Mr. Sabaku, do you mind telling us why you are coming forward now?"_

Gaara looked uncomfortable and that was to be expected by someone who barely spoke to other people. His eyes gazed forward, which made Sakura's breath to catch in her throat. It was almost like he was staring at her, though she knew it was impossible since this wasn't live. Or was it? She never watched this show, so she wasn't sure.

" _Mr. Sabaku?"_

" _My apologies. Sometimes a secret can't be held any longer. I didn't want anyone to know who I was, but there was someone I met that means… a lot to me."_ He still looked unsure of himself and Sakura felt herself swallow a tight lump in her throat. She didn't even realize she was crying until a tear fell on her lap, which caused her to quickly shake her head because of it. Why the hell did she have to be so emotional?

" _So, you are doing this because you have feelings for someone? Who is the lucky person, if I may be so bold to ask?"_

His form was tense. It made her wonder if he would break just from the pressure of everyone staring at him from the audience chairs and the ones at home. _"She is the one who has helped me write this next installment of my novel. She was my muse. I don't want to give too many details of who she is—but if she is watching this then—"_

Suddenly her television turned off and she grabbed the remote quickly, smacking it against her palm, until her power went out as well. _"Sakura?"_ She finally heard from cell-phone and she moved to press it back to her ear, _"Damn our power went out. Just when things were getting good!"_

Ino almost sounded like she was whining. This alone caused her to sigh sadly, "Maybe it's fate. Maybe I wasn't supposed to hear what he would have to say about me."

At first Sakura wondered if Ino hadn't heard her with how quiet she was being again, and Sakura almost repeated herself. It wasn't until Ino growled low in her throat that she realized the blond was tired of hearing her whine about her love life. _"Sakura you keep going on like this, you're going to die alone. For fuck's sake Sakura, what the hell else can Gaara do to show you how he feels about you?"_

Sakura would have replied but it seemed like Ino had hung up on her. This caused her to frown and she simply chucked it towards the other chair. Standing up, she grabbed some candles to light, and placed them around the living room so she could see. With a soft sigh, she ran a hand through her pink hair just before falling back onto her couch. Akemi was in the chair across from her sleeping, obviously not bothered by the raging storm that was going on outside.

The thunder and lightning were loud, though Sakura paid it no mind, and eventually closed her eyes. Perhaps she should just figure all these things out in the morning. There was nothing going on for her the next day, but she decided she would start working out once again just to help release some of the tension inside of her. Maybe it would help. Going for a jog after having your heart broken gave Sakura a sense of ease. She did it when Sasuke denied her, when her and Sasori broke up, and even when she broke up with Hidan.

After Gaara denied her, she had been sulking in her apartment for days, and even approached alcohol as an answer. She wasn't sure why, but that's how this has been. No more of that though. She refused to let this take over her life. Starting tomorrow she was going to work towards a better her.

Eventually she opened her eyes and stood up, nearly tripped over herself when the buzzer of the speaker went off by the door. Suddenly feeling nervous she walked towards it and pressed a finger to the button before speaking, "Who is it? What do you want?"

For a moment, she wondered if someone was playing a prank on her, but a voice rang out from the other end. "Gaara?"

"Do you mind if I come in? It's pouring out here and I am a little—"

She had half a mind to tell him to fuck off, so she could sleep and forget about him. But there was a part of her that didn't want to do that. "… Fine." She pressed some other buttons to allow him entry before she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. Maybe this would be a quick chat. She doubted it, though there was a bit of hope in her chest that it was true.

When the knock came to her door, she opened it, and took in his appearance. He was soaked through his clothing and looked like he was about to freeze. Guilt approached her slowly, though she tried to shake it away. Sadly, it was to no avail.

"Are you going to let me in?"

The pinkette realized she had been staring at him for two minutes without saying anything and she quickly moved out of the way, so he could come inside. "S-sorry." He looked around in disinterest until his eyes landed on her kitten who was still laying in the chair. For some reason Gaara's expression brightened a bit and he was rubbing her head; waking her up from her slumber.

"Is there a reason you came or are you here to rub on my cat all night?"

Gaara slowly turned in her direction and held her stare, knowing she wouldn't back down even if she wanted to. "Did you… get my note?"

"Yes. I thought you told me to find you if I was—"

"I know… but I couldn't wait. Sakura, I'm sorry. You have every right to refuse me now, especially after hurting you like that and pushing you into a cycle of depression. But I just…" He trailed off, "I needed to see you. After someone blackmailed me into trying to date them, I wasn't sure what to do. Everyone told me to come clean, but it felt wrong. Then I realized I wasn't doing this for her, but for me. And… for you."

Before Sakura could interrupt him, he approached her, and awkwardly took her hands in his own, "You don't have to accept this tonight. Or even at all. You are more than what I can take. I am broken, but it doesn't have to be that way anymore."

The pinkette was silent, obviously mulling over his words once he finished. Her eyes searched his, and she was aware he was right, she didn't have to accept this. She wanted to move on with her life, forget this ever happened, and focus on her career. Love made everything else complicated. But that's what always happened with her right? Falling in love with the wrong person at the wrong time…

When he figured she was going to reject him, Gaara finally released her hands, "I should go before I make this worse." Sakura immediately grabbed his arm before he could go anywhere, and they were so close, she could feel his breath on her lips. It took everything within her not to kiss him right then, but she knew it would be best if she didn't.

That's when she realized this was her last chance. She shouldn't ruin it, even after everything that happened between them. It was time to forgive him for that.

"Gaara I want you. I don't care about—" Before she could even finish her sentence, his lips were on hers, and she was so surprised it caused her to gasp. Gaara took this time to push his tongue into her mouth, though he figured she wouldn't have much resistance to him. She answered his unspoken question when she tangled her hands into his hair.

It was probably evident that he had never kissed a woman before because of his awkward movements, but Gaara kept her distracted with his tongue brushing on her own. Eventually instinct took over them in that moment, and he could learn what he was supposed to do rather quickly.

When they parted for air, Gaara licked at the trail of saliva that followed; brushing his tongue against his own lips to have every taste of her. Her eyes were half-lidded as she regarded him, and he could tell she was turned on just by the way she was looking at him.

"Gaara…" Sakura said his name softly before exhaling shakily, "I… don't want this as a one-time thing. I want you but…" But she wasn't sure if this was even love. She thought it was, though there was no telling with her heart.

His hand moved to caress her neck, "This isn't going to be a one-time thing Sakura. Do you want this? Right now?" The way he was staring at her caused her to tense. He had backed her into the nearest wall, and eventually picked her up so he could hold onto her. She didn't expect this strength, but it was more of a turn on than she thought it would be.

Gaara didn't wait for her to respond to anything and simply pushed himself closer to her, which gave her the chance to feel his very _apparent_ arousal. Feeling it against her heat caused her to lean her head back against the wall. Gaara trailed his lips against her neck, nipping along her flesh as he grounded his hips into her gently.

Sakura gasped again, her hands moving from his hair to inside of his shirt, so she could feel his muscles underneath her fingertips. Sakura began to think that maybe they should have tried to go to dinner first, but then he was licking her neck, and then he was kissing her again; as he pretty much had sex with her against the wall with his pants on. That caused those thoughts to leave her mind.

"Gaara, please…" She wasn't sure what she was begging for, but she just wanted _something_. Being with him like this but not having their clothes off was torture.

"I have never done this—"

For a moment Sakura nearly told him that she didn't give a fuck—to just let instinct take over and make love to her like he wanted, but she didn't want him to regret this. "We can go slow Gaara," She moved one of her hands from his shirt and grabbed his cheek gently, "We don't have to do anything." Even though that hurt her to say, she was aware they were moving fast. Especially since he was a virgin.

Gaara was silent before he pushed his coat off, allowing it to fall to the floor, which gave her the answer she needed. He wanted this. She wanted this. They were adults. They could figure out the rest in the morning. Right now, she needed to get her clothes off. Luckily, she was only in her pajamas.

One by one she helped him remove his clothes as she backed up towards the direction of her room. He kicked off his shoes as they headed down the hallway, and eventually he was only in his boxers in front of her. They were in her room at this point, and he had shut her door to make sure her kitten didn't get inside, though neither of them cared about it.

The rain still went along outside, but she paid no mind when he had her in his arms again and they were kissing; tongues clashing together passionately as he worked her shorts down her legs. He pulled away from her lips just so she could take off her shirt; throwing it across the room while he pushed her down onto the bed.

Gaara still had his underwear on, but she didn't have long to ponder on this fact when he was on top of her and kissing her again. His chest pressed against hers which caused her to squirm beneath him, and he inhaled a sharp intake of breath as he held her hips down. "It won't last much longer if you keep doing that."

A smirk appeared on her lips, "Oh?"

Sakura started moving again, which created friction between them, and she could practically feel his erection straining through his boxers. She stopped though when he hissed which caused her to look at him in surprise, "Are you-?"

His expression looked like he was in pain, but she was aware that wasn't what he was feeling right then. He was controlling himself. For a man who never touched a girl, she was surprised at how much he could hold himself back like that.

This caused her to kiss his lips gently and she grabbed his hand, moving it to where it was situated between her legs. She blushed out of embarrassment. Now that he was touching her, he would be able to feel how wet she was, and how warm she was at the same time.

Briefly, Gaara's eyes met hers, and she could feel her heart racing with how intense his gaze was. 'Oh… the way he looks at me…'

That's when his fingers started moving. She guided him through it with the right kind of noises to give him the chance to understand what he was doing. Sometimes he was too rough, others he was too gentle, but eventually he picked up a pace that had her moaning against his ear.

There was a warm feeling in her stomach, causing butterflies to shoot down her legs, and she arched her back once she finally met her orgasm. "Gaara…" She whimpered softly as he held her still, his thumb still moving and working against her clitoris while his index worked inside of her.

"Please, take me."

Gaara removed his hand from inside of her and pushed his boxers down so they fell to the floor by her bedside. He positioned himself at her entrance, suddenly unsure and nervous with his actions, but he finally pushed himself inside of her.

They both groaned at the feeling.

Surprisingly Gaara held himself still long enough to give her a chance to adjust to his size, though once he began to thrust, all of Sakura's thoughts disappeared. He was gentle at first, testing to see how much she could take of him, but then he was pounding into her with so much force she almost wanted to scream at the top of her lungs.

His name fell of her lips as he continued to thrust. She barely registered the position change until she was on top of him and moving her hips. He held onto her tightly and increased his pace; signaling that he was approaching his climax, though he was waiting for something. It didn't take a genius to understand he wanted her to meet her orgasm again, but she wasn't sure if—

Her thought dissipated as soon as his thumb was on her clitoris and he was on top of her again, reaching newer depths that caused her to squirm heatedly from beneath him. One more thrust was all it took and they both finished. Her walls convulsed around his member as his seed pushed inside of her, but she was only focused on trying not to destroy his back with her nails.

Which ultimately failed in the end.

After he was done, he breathed heavily against her ear and panted. Their sweat mingled bodies remained connected until he finally pulled out of her to lay down next to her. They were both pretty silent though the sounds of their breathing echoed around the room, and there was a clock ticking in the distance.

Gaara turned towards her and rested his head on her elbow, his other hands gently running along her side as his eyes roamed her body. "I don't know how any of this works."

She looked at him and cupped his cheek with her hand, "We will figure it out Gaara. Even if it takes one year or more, we'll figure it out… together."

The red head accepted that as he gathered the pinkette into his arms. She had fallen asleep against his chest and he ran his hand down her back in small, soothing strokes. Sometimes Gaara wondered if there was something missing in his life. Whether it was a good hobby or something else along those lines, and he finally figured out what it was.

Everyone could call it a cliché.

Hell, they could say they were both idiots for loving each other after only knowing one another for a few months. But Gaara didn't care for any of that. His heart had been missing a piece, obviously broken by the shadows of his past, and here was the one person that would help him heal.

She was the missing piece.

And he wouldn't let her go again.


End file.
